Times Will Change
by viking-bride
Summary: Times are Changing, Hogwarts is Changing, The Wizarding world is changing, but can James and Lily find love?
1. Introduction

**Copyright to JK Rowling.**

Lily sat with her back against the wall, knees bent up into her chest.  
>Her eyes were damp. Swollen.<p>

Her body was sore.

She was practically oblivious to the people moving behind her, the distant and panicked chatter. She just didn't care.

She felt a body slide down next to her and sigh; she didn't look up or register who it was. She was happy for the company. But she didn't open her eyes.

She wished she could be the oblivious person she had been a few years before, back in her Hogwarts days. She was a stronger person then.

She just felt so weak and useless now.

In the distance she heard the low voice of Sirius Black. She kept her eyes shut.  
>The unknown person next to her squeezed her hand comfortingly and left.<p>

She felt lonely again.

For one of the first times in her life, she had genuine fear.

Fear of what was too come, what would happen.

All her childhood worries seemed stupid in comparison to this. To Voldemort.

Life was malicious, and so was he.

He had no compassion, he didn't care, and he was 'The Dark Lord'.

She winced at the thought of that mark etched onto Severus' forearm.

She couldn't care for Severus anymore, he didn't care for her, and the Order needed her.

She finally opened her eyes to the destroyed room. Distressed and broken.  
>The room reflected her mood, but now wasn't the time to wallow in self pity.<p>

She exhaled.

**This sets the scene. (Sort of) **

**The next chapter will be set three years earlier. **


	2. The Runner

**Copyright to J.K Rowling. I own nothing**

**Three years earlier.**

"I don't want to talk to you!" Lily exclaimed storming across the field away from the boy that chased her.

"_Please" _the boy pleaded. The apologetic tone to his voice almost made Lily turn back. Almost.

He'd caught up with her now, his weedy body was certainly misleading, because he was strong and quick. He grabbed her arm.

"Lily, please, listen." The boy pleaded again, and Lily stopped and swung around.

"Don't make me use underage magic – _Severus" _The way she said his name was like venom.

"Then just listen to what I have to say!" Severus pleaded again.

"What more could you possibly say? We've had this conversation so many times and I'm sick of it! I can't forgive you" Lily finished, she began to walk away.

"But that's not it, is it" Severus said calmly.

"Excuse me?" Lily asked, hotly.

"What I called you, that isn't the reason for this. Is it?"

Lily paused in thought. "No."

Severus raised his eyebrows.

"You- you knew how I felt about Mulciber and Avery, but you defied me and became best mates with them, but I let it slide, because I cared, we started spending less and less time with each other, but I let it slide, because I cared."

Snape went to speak but Lily started again "You go around hexing first year muggle borns, for fun, and I just can't let that slide, because it's personal. It's not right Sev, it's time we go different ways. I don't like dark magic. And you're in infatuated with it."

Snape blinked. "Lily, I-I didn't-"

"Don't" Lily said turning away. "Please just leave me alone."

She left.

Severus stood there and watched at her leave. He felt sick to his stomach. He dropped to the grass, and screamed.

**0o0o0o**

"Lily is that you?"

"Yeah" Lily replied to her mum, shutting the front door and making her way into the kitchen.

Petunia and Mrs Evans were sat at the kitchen table, when Lily came in Petunia gathered her stuff together. "I'll do it in my room" she mumbled.

"Oh, don't leave on my account." Lily snapped.

Petunia wormed past Lily and glided up the stairs. Lily sunk into the chair.

"What's wrong love?" Lily's mum asked.

Lily's mother was an average looking woman, she had blue eyes and dark short brown hair, she wore rectangular glasses and had a long heart shaped face, slight wrinkles had started to form around the eyes and mouth, she was in her early 40s.

"I just saw Sev, in the park."

"Oh"

"Mm"

"Did you- talk?"

"Sort of"

"And?"

"No" Lily shuck her head.

"Poor boy"

Lily snapped her head up and blinked at her mother.

"What do you mean 'poor boy'?"

"I mean, I feel sorry for him" Lily's mother admitted.

"Right..?"

"He must be terribly confused, he clearly didn't mean what he said and-"

"No mum" Lily interrupted "You're not...You don't understand the insult and what it means, there's stuff happening and for your _'best friend'_ to call you a mudblood, in front of everyone like he did, I just, it's complicated"

"O-kay" Her mother said awkwardly.

"I'm, I need to go and write a letter." Lily said and stood up.

"Right dear"

And Lily left the room.

She planned to write to Remus Lupin.

Lily and Remus became good friends last year, through prefect duties.  
>They where the Gryffindor prefects for their year.<br>As they became close, they shared things with each other, Remus knew about Snape, being the only person she talked to about him. Lily noticed Remus had a tendency to disappear once a month, supposedly visiting his mother. However, he'd come back looking noticeably worse for wear and after close inspection, he'd return injured.  
>It didn't take long after that for Lily to work out the truth.<br>He was a werewolf.  
>The full moon was in two days, and Lily just wanted to check up with him, his friends, The Marauders 'helped him', although Lily wasn't given the details to that.<p>

_Remus, _

_I hope you're feeling okay with the full moon coming up and that. I miss you! I know it's been like 3 weeks since the summer holidays started but all the same. We'll have to meet up! _

_Oh, I saw Severus before, I was cutting through the park me and him used to play in when we where little, and he was sat on the swing, I kept walking and he chased me across the field, I threatened to hex him but to no avail he insisted on talking to me so I told him I didn't want to be friends with him anymore because he'd changed for Avery and Mulciber. He didn't say anything then so I left. Still, it was a bit awkward. _

_Anyway, I hope you'll reply because I am so out of touch with everyone! Mary is in France so I can't talk to her, and there's no one else I can talk to.  
>Thinking of you. <em>

_Lily x_

When Lily had signed the letter, she got her owl from the cage, a feathery brown owl.  
>Her father had insisted she buy one in Diagon Alley back when she was 11, he'd called it Sid, after a lad he used to go to school with that was exceptionally hairy and after that the owl wouldn't respond to anything else. She tied it to the envelope to the birds foot.<p>

"Give this to Remus, and peck him until he replies, okay?" Lily said to the bird.

Sid squawked enthusiastically and flew off out the window.

**0o0o0**

_Tap tap. _

_Tap tap. _

Remus woke up to a tapping.  
>It took him a while to locate the noise, the window. But he recognised the bird that sat on his ledge immediately.<br>He opened the window and the bird flew in and perched itself on Remus' chest-of-drawers, squeaking, Remus grabbed some left over crust from his sandwich and gave it to Sid.

He opened Lily's letter and read it, the owl flew over and landed on Remus' head, and began pecking.

"Alright, alright!" he said and the bird returned to the chest-of-drawers.

He took out some parchment and a quill and wrote quickly.

_Lily, _

_Your owl is vicious! _

_Thanks for the letter, its nice you're checking up on me.  
>I'm fine yes, feeling the effects though, tired. I was actually asleep when you sent your owl.<br>I can't believe it about Snape, how many times does he need to be told? I wouldn't let Sirius or James hear about this, they're looking for any excuse to hex him these days. We're definitely meeting up; to be honest I get sick of the constant company of James, Sirius and Peter. But, don't tell them I said that.  
>Everything is sorted for the full moon, so don't worry about me.<br>I'll write you the day after the moon, if I'm not asleep.  
>Anyway.<br>All the best._

_Remus._

Remus folded the letter up into an envelope, tied it to the owls leg and sent it on its way.

He went downstairs, and into the kitchen for some food. The downside to lycanthropy was the unsatisfiable hunger that occured leading up to the moon, but his mother always had the fridge filled with meat and chocolate for him.

"You alright sweetie?" his mother asked has he came into the kitchen.

"Hungry"

"It's all in the fridge."

Remus grabbed a packet of cocktail sausages and a Toblerone bar and sat down on the bar stool.

"You in work today?" He asked his mother.

"I've been in Remus, it's nearly 5 o'clock."

"Christ, I slept in."

"Mm, it'll do you good anyway" she said with a smile. "Your dad will be home in a minute."

The full moons where always a little awkward between Remus and his father, considering the fact that it was his father's mistakes that caused Remus to turn into a beast once a month. His mother picked up on the awkwardness straight away, and did her best to make the situation less awkward for both parties.

"I'll probably go out." Remus remarked.

"You sure-"

"I've got one more day mum. I'll just go over to James'; I'll be back before midnight."

"Alright, you stay safe!"

"Always do" Remus said with a smile and walked to the fire place, grabbed some floo powder and through it down.

"Potter house!"

And in a flood of green smoke, he was gone.

**0o0o0o**

_Thud_

"Oh, Merlin!" a voice screamed.

Remus recognised it to be the voice of Mrs Potter.

"Sorry" Remus mumbled brushing the dust off his clothes as he stood up. "I didn't mean to frighten you, Mrs Potter"

"Oh, Remus dear! You just took me by surprise, James is in his room."

Remus nodded and set out in the all too familiar house.

The Potters house was massive. It's was a mansion, practically a palace.  
>The house had 4 floors. Technically 3, however there was a loft space the length and width of the entire house on the top floor that belonged to James, It was where the Marauders spent their time, it was their den. James had his own bedroom on the 2nd floor but hardly used it, it was just there for show.<p>

Remus ascended the first staircase it was large and wide. A thick red carpet lined the middle of it, leaving a small gap of stone at the edge. When he reached the top of the staircase it split of into two directions. Remus took the left.  
>When Remus reached James' bedroom, he knocked and peered his head in but he wasn't there.<br>'Trust you to be in the bloody den' Remus thought.

Remus ascended yet another staircase before reaching the ladders to the den. He climbed up and pushed the hatch up.

"Prongs?" Remus said as he walked into the den, the den was so huge it took a while to find someone straight away among all the stuff the filled the room.

"Moony!" James shouted and appeared from the top of a box. "Didn't tell me you where coming"

"No" Remus started "My Dad was finishing work, y'know."

"Right" James said understandingly "You wanna stay the night mate?"

"I probably shouldn't" Remus paused "I told my mum I'd be back for 12."

"Alrighty, well dig into a box mate, me and Sirius are looking for some walkie talkies"

"What, you have walkie talkies?" Remus asked, confused at his non muggle friend. Pure blood wizards more often than not had no idea what any of the muggle appliances where.

"Si,I do, got them like 10 years ago though, I want to charm them" James replied.

"Alright" Remus clapped his hands "So where's Sirius?"

"Mooooooooooony!" Came Sirius' voice.

Remus turned and saw Sirius at the top of another tall cardboard box. He tipped the box and slid down it.

"You twat" Remus confirmed as Sirius pushed himself up.

Sirius had been living with the Potters since the beginning of summer ,he ran away from home the second day back, packed his things and came to James'.  
>Sirius didn't really talk about what happened, to Remus anyway.<br>But Mrs Potter loved Sirius as if he were her own son. So he was safe here.

Sirius laughed "You alright, mate?"

"I suppose" Remus smiled weakly. "I'll get digging."

Half an hour later the walkie talkies were found.

"What charm are you going to cast on them?" Remus asked.

"It's sort of an experimental charm, so they'll work within Hogwarts" James answered.

"But muggle technology _never_ works in Hogwarts!"

"Experimental, moony" James interrupted.

"This is underage magic, the ministry will find out" Remus protested.

"Nah" James shook his head "Pure bloods are protected, they won't do jack."

"It's worth a try, moons" Sirius added.

"Alright then, let's get thinking boys." James said brightly. "I could do with a drink"

"Me too" Remus and Sirius said.

"_Mitzie!" _James shouted.

_Crack._

A house elf appeared in front of James.

"Yes master?" Mitzie the house elf asked.

"Fetch us three butterbeers and some chocolate frogs"

"Of course, master"

30 seconds later, there was another crack.

The house elf returned with a tray of butterbeers and a huge tub of chocolate frog boxes, at least 50 were in there.

James winked at the house elf. "Thanks Mitz."

"My please Master Potter."

And the elf disapparated.

After an hour of watching James and Sirius attempt to charm the walkie talkies, and eating several chocolate frogs, Remus spoke up.

"Y'know, you won't be able to tell whether or not they work until we go back to Hogwarts."

James and Sirius looked at Remus.

"You're right" James said defeated.

"Fuck this" Sirius said throwing the walkie talkie down.

Remus chuckled. "Where's Pete?"

James frowned "Germany I think"

Sirius looked in confusion "It's Amsterdam, prongs."

"No" James replied "It's definitely Germany."

"No, I remember correctly because I told him to bring back weed, why would I do that if he went to Germany?" Sirius said with a victory grin.

"No" James started again "You told him to bring you back some weed, and he said 'why would I do that, I'm going to Germany'"

"So I'm not getting weed" Sirius said flatly.

"Afraid not mate"

**0o0o0o**

Lily was getting restless. It had been 2 days since the full moon and Remus had promised to write her. He hadn't. She contemplated on writing to him first, but he had promised he would, and he always keeps his promises.  
>She decided to write to Sirius, for no reason in particular other than The Marauders would know if something was wrong. She didn't particularly like James, and she thought Peter was on holiday. So that left Sirius.<p>

_Sirius, _

_How's Remus?  
>He said he'd write me and it's been 2 days since, well you know.<br>I know you'll know how he is, so if you could just tell me it would give me a peace of mind. _

_Lily x_

She slipped the letter into an envelope, tied it to Sid's leg and set the owl on its way.

After about 15 minutes, Sid returned.

'That was quick' Lily thought.

She retrieved the letter from Sid.

_Evans, _

_Remus is missing. We were with him on the night and the next morning he was gone. Can you find a floo connected fireplace and come to James'? Just shout 'Potter House' and you'll end up in his living room, we need more people to help us find him to be honest. We're really worried. _

_Sirius. _

There wasn't any floo fireplaces near her as far as she knew.  
>The only other option was muggle transport and that would take Lily more than 3 hours to get there, and she didn't even know James' address.<p>

Then, a thought occurred to Lily.

Severus.

His mum was a Witch; Lily had seen the familiar green powder when she went over to the Snape's house when she was younger.  
>Lily faced a bit of dilemma, Severus' mother, Eileen would be at work, Severus would be the one in, the one she would have to ask. But Remus was far too important to bother over this right now.<p>

She grabbed a note pad and wrote

_Gone out, be back soon, Lily x_

And set out for Sev's house.

She arrived at the familiar crooked house. The little bit of front garden they had was overgrown and dead, the concrete slabs that formed the path to the house where cracked and the gate was distressed and stiff. Lily drew in a deep breath, and knocked.

For a while there was no sign of the house being occupied, until she heard the thud of someone coming and the silhouette appear behind the opaque window on the door.

Severus opened the door, when he saw who was behind it his mouth fell agape.

"Lily." He breathed.

"I need to use your fireplace."

Snape blinked.

"Please, it's urgent."

Snape nodded "Come in."

Lily stepped into the house, it was messy and unorganised.

"Where are you flooing to?" Severus asked as he turned the flames on.

Lily didn't meet his eye. "James Potter's house."

Severus stiffened. "Why?"

"I don't think it's your business, something's happened, you needn't know more than that."

Snape frowned and handed Lily and small container.

"Have you used floo before?" Severus asked slowly.

"Yes" Lily nodded.

"Alright then." He said and left the room.

Lily walked into the fireplace and shouted _'Potter House'  
><em>in a whip of green smoke she was gone.

**0o0o0o**

When Lily arrived in the Potter's fireplace, she was welcomed into the grand drawing room of the house.

"Lily!" said the voice of Sirius Black.

Lily walked forward and gave him a quick hug.

"What happened?" Lily asked, bewildered.

"Er" Sirius paused "He just went missing."

"Fuck it Padfoot" Came a voice "Might as well tell her." It was James Potter.

"Er, what.." Sirius dithered.

"Just tell the fucking truth, it's not going to make it any easier finding Remus if she doesn't even know why he's gone." James shouted.

"Ignore him, he's drunk." Sirius said to Lily.

"Fuck off" James spat.

"You're drunk?" Lily asked "That's dead mature Potter, you should be looking for your best mate, but _no, _youjust sit on the couch and get pissed."

James stood up too fast and held the side of the chair to steady himself.

"We've been looking for him for 10 hours already." James stated, and took a step closer to Lily.

"Look" Sirius said intervening. "It's just the three of us, no one else knows about his… condition, and we're already lying to his mum, let's not argue amongst ourselves."

"Ooo" Lily said smiling "Never known you to be so strict, Black."

"Well I just want Remus found."

"So where have you looked so far?"

Sirius and James glanced at each other.

"Everywhere we can think of" Sirius sighed.

"Why did he run?" Lily asked.

Once again Sirius and James exchanged glances.

"Might as well pads" James said coolly.

"Mm."

"I don't reckon she'll tell, she's kept Moony's big secret."

"Oh Merlin!" Lily shouted "Stop talking as if I'm not in the room, I think I've shown myself to be pretty trustworthy."

"Well" Sirius started.

"I, Sirius and Pete are animagus." James said flatly.

Lily looked blankly at them both, "What?"

"Mm" Sirius said smirking. "Impressive?"

"Illegal!"

"Stop being such a goody two shoes about it, Evans." Said James.

Lily looked down to the floor.

"Anyway" Sirius interjected. "That's how we help him on the full moon."

"Right" Lily said nodding.

"Werewolf bites don't affect animals, so we play around with him and stuff, keep him company. But, things got really out of hand the other night and he attacked Prongs, he was injured pretty badly, and when Remus woke up he must've saw and left."

"Oh" Lily said flicking a glance to James who was tracing the rim of a glass bottle "Right"

"We have 2 options" Sirius cleared his throat. "1- We wait for him to calm down."

Lily thought.

"or 2- go and find him before he does something stupid."

"Christ, what could he do?" Lily asked.

"Merlin knows" Sirius replied.

"We should go to his shed" James announced.

Sirius nodded in agreement.

"Where's the shed?" Lily asked.

"It's at the back of Remus' house, it's not actually his shed, but we chill in it all the time." Sirius answered.

"Remus lives in Norwich, how are we going to get there?" Lily asked.

Sirius grinned "Why Evans dear, we're going to apparate."

Lily looked horrified "We don't learn to apparate until October."

Sirius grinned looking pleased with himself, "I learnt last year didn't I"

Lily looked over to James.

"Well I can't do it." James snapped.

"I didn't ask you anything."

"Yes, but you looked."

"Looked?"

"Yes, you looked as if you expected me to say something."

"Oh stop being so conceited, Potter."

"So now I'm conceited for answering a question."

"A question that wasn't asked, you just assumed I was going to ask you something."

"And that makes me egotistical?"

"I said you where conceited actually."

"Same thing."

"Different word"

"Piss off, Evans."

"FOR FUCKS SAKE BOTH OF YOU JUST STOP BICKERING NOW!" Sirius shouted and James and Lily both fell silent. "Stop being so fucking selfish, this is about Remus"

James and Lily both opened there mouths to protest but Sirius shushed them both.

"Now, both of you hold on to me"

James linked Sirius and Lily gripped onto his arm, "Not that tight Evans I'm just assisting you."

And with a _crack _they were gone.

**So this is the first chapter to this fanfic, it's a bit slow but the plot with thicken.  
>Right. <strong>

**Reviews will make me cry with happiness. **

**xx**


	3. Strike

**Copyright JoRo, I own nothing.**

Apparition was a fallacious experience.  
>Your body feels as if it is being forced inward, migrating itself inside out.<br>Your head burns, a fire blazing.  
>Your brain feels swollen and compressed, ready to explode.<br>But then it stops.  
>You feel so light you could potentially float.<br>Your body feels free, ethereal.  
>But then, the dizziness weakens your chest, and makes your stomach churn.<br>Nausea.

Remus wasn't in the shed.

In fact, Lily couldn't see why they thought he would hide there, it was a depressing place. Loose planks of wood lay around everywhere and cobwebs hung eerily from the ceiling, there was no window. If you were feeling melancholic, it wouldn't be the place to go.  
>They walked around several abandoned warehouses in Norwich before deciding that Remus wouldn't be in any of them, or even Norwich.<p>

"It's getting dark." James stated.

"No shit, Sherlock." Lily replied quickly.

James narrowed his eyes "I mean, I can't leave it three days without knowing where he is."

An idea came to Lily. "Try owling him!"

"Yeah! Because, we haven't already thought of that!" James said in a mock tone with an over exaggerated smile.

"At least I'm trying to come up with something." Lily replied.

"We should go back." Sirius added quickly.

James frowned, and a deep crease formed in between his eyebrows. "Why do I feel like I'm the only one who cares about Moony?"

"Because you're a twat." Lily snapped.

"Quick." James said, smirking.

One of the things James loved about Lily was her quick humour. She never failed to jump in with a quick comment.  
>He learnt in the past few months, that the best way to converse with Lily was to act like he despised her. So, he went from the boy begging her to go out with him, to the boy she constantly clashed with. Sometimes, James wished he had started things very different with her in first year, but he was James Potter. He had no regrets.<p>

"Sirius is right." Lily arched her eyebrows.

"Fine, we go back."

"Hold on then" Sirius held out his arms for the two to hold onto, and with another _crack _they warped into thin air.

They apparated into the Potters' garden, or rather a field at that. It was huge.

Lily looked disbelievingly at James.

"What?" He asked innocently, voice slightly high pitched.

"What?" She replied, mocking him.

James shook his head and laughed, and started to walk into the house.  
>Lily and Sirius followed.<p>

They walked into the house, and ended up in the kitchen.  
>James slid into one of the bar stools and Lily followed.<p>

"Where's my mirror?" Sirius asked James feeling his pockets

Lily looked between them, bemused.

"The den? I think. Haven't been up there since before the full moon and that's when I last saw it." James replied and rubbed his forehead as Sirius walked out the room.

"Headache?" Lily replied, raising her eyebrows.

"I'm not drunk, I had one firewhiskey and an argument with Sirius, that's why I was annoyed."

Lily smirked.

"I didn't mean to take it out on you." James said seriously.

"It's fine, Potter."

James smiled weakly. "Had a good summer so far then?"

Lily paused. "No."

"Oh."

"You?"

"I'm going to sound like an arse when I say mine hasn't been all bad."

"Of course" Lily smiled.

"Heard from Snivellus at all?" James said sharply.

Lily thought about Remus' advice. "Not really."

James narrowed his eyes.

"I did floo from his fireplace though." Lily bit her lip and looked over to James.

He just blinked at her, "Why?"

"The only place I could think of, and it was close by and-"

"But after what he's done?" James interjected.

"I've not forgiven him." Lily replied.

"No?"

"No."

"Good."

"Why should it concern you anyway?"

"Well" James dithered "I hate his guts; you're too nice for him."

"Right" Lily said awkwardly.

-"JAMES!" Came a distant voice. "PRONGS COME UP HERE RIGHT NOW!"

James jumped down from the stool and ran out of the kitchen. Lily followed him.  
>He escaladed the stairs, taking two at a time, finally halting at ladders and climbing them. Lily did the same.<p>

"Padfoot?"

"J-James, here, it's Remus." Sirius waved desperately from behind a box.

James ran over and Remus was lying on the floor. Injured.  
>There was blood everywhere.<br>Sirius was shaking, trying to make use of his wand.

Lily looked on, frozen. Horrified.

Remus' body was lifeless.

James took over from Sirius, slightly more composed, and began muttering healing spells, counter curses but nothing was working. He was panicking, breathing quickened, lump rising in his throat. He looked around to Sirius, but he was breaking down. He looked back to Lily.

"Lily." His voice with a tremor.

Lily hurried forward somehow, and tried to make use of herself. Thinking of counter curses, anything.

"It's n-not" She stammered.

"What?" James asked.

"N-not magic, t-there isn't a c-counter curse."

James looked puzzled for a moment then his face smoothed out. "A muggle did this?"

Lily nodded. "He's b-been stabbed."

At that moment Sirius came out of shock, and picked Remus' limp body up.

"What?" but before James could finish asking Sirius replied.

"Trust me."

They followed Sirius downstairs into the Potters' living room.

"I don't know if this will work." Sirius announced.

"What?" James asked.

"We can't take him to St Mungo's, they'll ask too many questions and find out about his..problem."

James nodded.

"You can't apparate injured people successfully."

James nodded again.

"So" He started and walked out of the room, returning with cloths and wrapping them around Remus' body. "I'll be back shortly, hopefully."

"Where-,"

But Sirius cut him off, and stepped into the fireplace, grabbing a handful of green powder. 'Poppy Pomfrey's house!"

And he was gone.

**0o0o0o**

James and Lily sat awkwardly around Remus, unable to help him, feeling useless.

"I wonder what happened." Lily said after a silence.

"Mm" James agreed.

"I mean, there's a chance it was a wizard, but I know a knife isn't their favourite weapon."

James frowned. "No, some death eaters are bloody skilled with a knife."

Lily stopped, "You don't think?"

James shook his head slowly, then shrugged his shoulders. "I don't see, _why_, but.."

At that moment, there came a thud from the fire place, followed by a second one.

"Mr Black, I don't see why you couldn't-," she stopped mid sentence.  
>"Oh, Merlin! Dear boy"<p>

She ran quickly over to Remus.

"What happened?" she demanded.

"We're not sure." Sirius answered. "He went missing the day after the full moon, and we found him about 10 minutes ago up in James' room."

Poppy Pomfrey was familiar with Remus' lycanthropy. Once a month, on the evening of the full moon, she would escort him down to the whomping willow, and the following day, she would escort his injured body up to the hospital wing.

"You've tried _all_ counter curses?" She asked.

"It's not a curse." James stated.

"Then?" Poppy asked. "Muggles?"

"Perhaps."

"So a healing spell?"

"We tried the ones we know, they didn't work."

"Then I doubt it was a muggle, any old healing charm should work, I'll have to try several complicated ones, if you please?"

James and Lily shuffled away from Remus' side, and Poppy laid down her case, and sat next to an unconscious Remus.

She began muttering words.

Sirius ran his fingers through his hair and walked over to James and Lily.

"That was a bloody nightmare."

James smirked. "Why?"

"Well" Sirius began. "Showed up in her living room, she was having a bloody party wasn't she, so I couldn't say, 'Ey poppy, our werewolf friend is in trouble', so I had to locate her, pull her to one side, she started accusing me of wanting to kidnap her, made a massive scene didn't she."

James sniggered "Why did she think that?"

"I said, 'Pack your essentials, your coming with me', apparently that's not the best thing to say to someone."

"How did you persuade her" Lily chucked lightly.

"Well to start with she was having none of it, but in the end I said, 'Remus is hurt', I think she understood then."

James nodded sarcastically.

Remus groaned.

The threesome snapped their heads up and whipped around.

"Is he okay?" They all asked in some form.

"Hm." Poppy paused. "He will be."

"Thank god" Sirius exhaled.

"He will need to rest for a few days, I'm going home now to fix a potion for him. I'll be back in an hour."

She stood up.

James, Lily and Sirius did the same.

"If he wakes up, knock him out"

They raised there eyebrows.

"He'll be in pain, you know a simple sleeping jinx?"

James and Sirius nodded.

"Then I trust he'll be in good hands, I won't be long, am I okay to apparate from your garden?" she asked James.

"Of course" James nodded and showed her out.

She left.

**0o0o0o**

She was trembling, how could she be this careless?  
>He gave her one task, one challenge, and she failed.<br>He would be displeased, what would he do?

She hovered outside the deserted house, his recent base, wondering what her fate would be.  
>Her hands were sweating, heart rate uneasy. When finally, she plucked up a bit of courage, and entered the house.<p>

The house was cold, the walls bare and stripped, undecorated. It was depressing.  
>She could here distant chatter, she stood tall and entered the main room.<p>

"Ah, Bellatrix." Came the cool voice.

"My Lord" She acknowledged.

"I take it you've been fulfilling my orders, surly they haven't been completed this quickly, does the knife not suit you?"

She didn't say anything.

"Bellatrix?"  
>The man took a step closer to her, putting his hands behind her head and grasping her hair, she melted inside.<p>

"What is it, Bellatrix?"  
>When he said her name, her heart jumped, how could she have failed him like this?<p>

"I have lost it." She looked down the floor.  
>The man released her hair from his grasp and pushed her backwards. "What!"<p>

Bellatrix stammered, unable to communicate.

"Surly you've tried summoning it?" He spat.

"It wouldn't come!" She said, voice quivering.

"Do you know what I did to get that knife?" He questioned.

Bellatrix nodded.

"Then, I'm sure you'll get it back." He said, voice calmer.

"Of course my Lord, anything." Bellatrix grabbed his hand but he snatched it away.

"Leave." He spat.

And so she did.

**0o0o0o**

Lily stretched her back, as the sun danced across the room, she'd had a really good night's sleep, unwilling to open her eyes and come out of her peacefulness, she became aware of her surroundings, and they were unfamiliar. She could feel people's bodies around her, and she opened her eyes to investigate.  
>She was lay down on the floor with her head on Sirius' lap, who looked like he'd fallen asleep holding Remus' hand, she could feel something on her hip and soon realised it was James' hand and he was practically spooning her, she slid out of the awkward position and stood up, they were still in James' house, in James' room she presumed. She must have fell asleep and they carried her up. She walked over to the other side of the bed Remus was one, and on the table was a vial with a note.<p>

_Give him this when he wakes up. _

_Poppy._

She picked up the bottle, trying to determine what potion she had made but to no avail she set the bottle down and sighed.

At that moment she realised she had no idea what to do. She'd left her mum a note yesterday telling her she'd be right back, and clearly she wasn't. There was no way she could floo home for two reasons, 1) she was in James' house and if she went downstairs his mum might be there or something really awkward like that and she wouldn't know what to say. 2) The only place she could floo to was Severus', and she couldn't face him again.  
>She decided to wait for Sirius to wake up and ask him to apparate her home.<p>

She saw Remus' body twitch from the corner of her eye, and she gave him her attention.

"Remus, are you awake?"

"Yeah."

"Thank Merlin! What happened to you!"

"I don't.. I- I don't remember" He stammered.

"Oh." Lily said disappointed. "You're supposed to take this."  
>She handed him the vial.<p>

"Says who?" he asked.

"Madame Pomfrey."

He looked confused.

"We couldn't do anything to help you, and we thought better of taking you to St Mungo's, so Sirius went to get her, quite clever really."

"Yeah" Remus agreed and looked to his friends asleep on the floor.

"So you don't remember anything?" Lily asked, eager.

He frowned. "I do remember some of it, but I think that's a conversation best saved for when you're all awake." He gestured to James and Sirius.

"WAKE UP YOU LAZY GITS!" Lily shouted.

James stirred but Sirius remained asleep.

"Kick them" Remus smirked.

Lily shrugged her shoulders and grinned "Why not."

She went over and kicked the two boys gently and they eventually came around.

"Your best mate is awake!"

They jumped up and ran to his side. After small exchanges and embraces, Remus began to tell the story.

"I can only tell you what I remember, it won't be any good."

"Just tell us!" Sirius demanded.

"Well, I woke up on Wednesday and you where both injured, because-," He stopped and glanced at Lily.

"She knows." James said quickly.

Relief in Remus' eyes and he continued. "Injured because of me, I couldn't face you, it was a really cowardly thing to do, but I just ran, I didn't want to go home, I just wanted to get away, it seemed like a really good idea at the time."

They all gave Remus apologetic glances, "This is not your fault" James said gesturing to the bandages across Remus' chest.

Remus ignored this comment. "Anyway, I went to some massive park in London and slept against a tree, but this gang where nearby and they all looked really worried or confused or something, then they spotted me, and they were telling someone to 'try it out' I don't remember anything after that, I guess that's when they attacked me and you all found me there."

"We didn't find you at the park.." Lily said slowly.

"What?"

"You where in the den." James said, confused.

"W-what?" Remus said, confused.

"I thought you might have apparated there." Sirius announced.

"Maybe I did, like I said, I don't remember much."

"At least you're okay now." Lily smiled.

"Yes." Remus returned the smile.

Sirius frowned, "If it was a muggle that did this, then the wounds would have been easier to heel."

"Maybe they weren't muggles" Remus shrugged.

"Regardless, they were just stab wounds, they should've heeled easier."

"Maybe the wound was cursed? I don't know!" Remus said irritated.

"Right" James jumped up "Breakfast?"

"Yes!" Sirius and Remus agreed.

"Actually" Lily smiled sheepishly. "Sirius, could you apparate me home, my mum will be worried."

Sirius huffed. "Can't you Floo?"

"Not really."

"But you floo'd here?"

James caught on. "Sirius, just take Evans home, it will take you 2 seconds."

"Fine" Sirius huffed. "Come on then."

They walked outside.

"I don't even think I know where you live."

"You do."

"Do I?"

"Yes."

"When have I been there?"

"Last summer, when me and Marlene where still mates, she brought you all to gatecrash my mum's barbeque."

"Ohhh" Sirius smiled at the memory. "That was fun."

"Mm."

"You and Marlene still aren't mates?"

"Nope."

"Why?"

"None of your business Black, now take me home."

"Of course, sweetheart." He winked at her, and then, they disapparated.

She was becoming immune the experience of apparition, but it was still unpleasant.

**0o0o0o**

When she walked into the house she tried to be really quiet, it was 10 o'clock in the morning and she didn't want to face the wrath of her mother, but it was no use, she heard the door shut and began to shout.

"Lillian Evans, were on earth have YOU been!" Her mum shouted.

"Mum-" she began to explain, but her mother cut her off.

"Be back soon, that note said, that was 16 bloody hours ago!"

Lily started explaining really quickly "I know I'm sorry, but one of my friends went missing so I went to help and look for him, but we couldn't find him, and then when we got back to James' house , Sirius found him in the den with all blood everywhere, and then we tried healing him but nothing worked and we didn't know what to do, so Sirius went and fetched the Hogwarts healer and she came and said he'd be okay, and I fell asleep at his house and I'm sorry I should've gotten in touch or something but they're wizards and don't have a phone." She exhaled.

"Oh." Her mother paused. "What happened to this boy?"

"We don't know, he doesn't remember anything." Lily lied.

"Right."

Lily turned to go upstairs.

"Oh, and Lily?"

"Mm?"

"Your Dad's on a bad day, don't disturb him."

Lily's dad had been ill for months, cancer.  
>Sometimes he had good days, she loved them.<br>But most of the time they were bad, and he would sleep and bleed.  
>She stopped at the guestroom door, which her father now occupied to fit all his health equipment in and stuff. She popped her head through the door and saw his frail body appearing engulfed by the bed, his eyes where sunken and body eerily skinny; he looked empty and lost. She felt a lump rise in her throat as she walked away, realisation hit her, she wasn't going to have her dad for much longer.<p>

She sunk in to her bed, it was then that Lily Evans realised she didn't like life very much.

**This chapter done, Reviews would be highly appreciated and make me cry with joy. REVIEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW.**


	4. Out of Focus

**Copyright J.K Rowling. **

She sat huddled on the edge of the bench watching the early birds cut through the park, some walking their dogs and others on jogs. It was quite chilly for a summer morning. The sun was about to rise, but you couldn't really tell because the clouds where overcast and depressing, it had to be around 3am. She tucked her knees under her chin fending off sleep.

In the two weeks since Remus had been found, Lily Evans' life had fallen apart.  
>She hadn't been home for three days, she couldn't go home, she couldn't face her mother, she didn't have a clue what to say to her.<p>

Her dad was gone.

A week ago, he was admitted to hospital because he stopped breathing in his sleep. Lung cancer had finally taken its toll and life was slipping away from her father.

'_Pneumonia." The doctor had told them._

"_Will he be alright?" Her mother asked calmly, and Lily and Petunia looked on with hope._

_The doctor had hesitated, and Lily knew then, that he wouldn't. "It's hard to tell at this stage."_

_Lily's mother gave the doctor a look to make him elaborate. "With the cancer, it's just not a good mix, and his body won't be able to heal itself so, I'm afraid he.." The doctor had stopped talking, and the four of them stood in the hospital corridor in silence._

"_How long has he got?" Lily asked, practically a whisper._

_The doctor gave them a sympathetic look. "Maybe a week."_

The words had stung and made her heart sink into nothingness.

However she'd give anything to be in that position rather than the one she was in now, she could feel tears beginning to leap down her cheeks at the thought and dug into her pockets for a tissue, instead pulling out a crumpled envelope, that was when she realised she hadn't read James' letter yet.

They had begun exchanging letters about Remus, James informing Lily of his recovery and any more news on the matter, she found that he didn't come across as egotistical in letters and she grew more fond of him. Lily had bared her soul and told him about her dad, although she didn't really know why she'd done that.

She opened the creased envelope and read the letter.

_Evans,  
>About your dad? That's awful, and you know that I'm here for you to talk about it anytime you want. My dad always says that muggle healers don't know what they're talking about, so you're dad will probably be fine. <em>

Lily laughed at his innocence of the situation.

_Remus has gone home today, *cry cry*, we spent the whole of last night coming up with an excuse to why he stayed at mine for a week and a half, I think it worked.  
>Anyway, I shall be retiring to my slumber now, alas my petal. <em>

_P.S- We'll have to meet up soon, as I am sure you miss my devilishly charming self and I sort of miss your swot like self. _

_James. _

She read it over and over, he was someone who had no knowledge of the situation and somehow she suddenly realised what she was doing was very stupid.  
>Just because she was the one that was <em>there <em>when her dad drew his final breath, she was the one that heard his last words, was no reason for her to do this.

She had to go home.

And frankly, Remus would be disappointed that she was sitting in a park at stupid o'clock especially after what had happened to him.  
>And James would be worrying because it had been three days and she hadn't replied to his letter. He probably wasn't though; he didn't care for her that way anymore. Not that she was bothered. <em>She doubted herself.<em>

She got up and left the park, wondering around for a few hours until she turned up outside her house. She let herself in with the key from underneath the mat.

No one was awake.

Why should they be? It was 5am.

She tiptoed upstairs and walked into her room, her mother and Petunia lay asleep in _her_ bed.  
>Lily sighed, and went into Petunia's room and got into her bed instead, and went to sleep, because frankly, she hadn't slept in 3 days.<p>

**0o0oo0**

She was woken the next morning by a rattling noise which turned out to be Petunia rooting in her wardrobe.

"Sorry" Lily mumbled "You where in my bed."

Petunia gave a soft but firm smile "It's fine." And went back to rooting in her wardrobe, suddenly she turned around to Lily.

"Red or Green?"

"What?" Lily asked

"Dress" Petunia said irritated.

"Oh, Red."

Petunia put the Red one back in the wardrobe and held onto the green one.

Lily raised her eyebrows.

"Get out, I want to get changed." Petunia said harshly.

Lily slid off her sister's bed shaking her head. 'Unbelievable' she muttered to herself.

She began to make her way down stairs, until she realised she had no idea what to say to her mother, so she retraced her steps and went to her bedroom, deciding to reply to James.

_Potter,_

_Sorry it's taken me a while to reply, all this stuff happened and I completely forgot about your letter, sorry.  
>How's things on the Remus front? I know you lot are keeping things from me, you're terrible at hiding things.<br>And the meeting up thing sounds great, get the whole gang together and I'll worm the information out of you. _

_P.S- Petal is an awful nickname._

_Lily._

She located Sid in the corner, gave her a pet and then sent her on her way with the letter.

And it was thinking of James again that made her realise she had to be mature, and face her mother. Lily didn't know what it was, but James brought her back down to earth.

So she departed for the kitchen to talk to her mum.

And honestly? The reaction she received was not what she expected at all.

Lily walked into the kitchen dressed in four-day-old-slept-in clothes, dirty body feeling unclean and rough.

Yet her mother didn't ask any questions.

She just gave her the warmest smile, and pulled her into a hug. "We missed you."

Lily smiled weakly. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine, to experience what you did, to witness _that_, I could never understand."

Her mother always had a way with words, because Lily suddenly felt brave, and knew she could talk about it.

"His last words where awful you know." Lily smirked.

"Oh lord" Lily's mother shook her head. "What did he say."

"It wasn't like it was meant to be, you know the way people normally give some spiritually life guiding message."

Lily mother nodded.

"His wasn't like that at all he said 'these pillows are too soft' and then…"

And then Lily's mother let out a cackled laugh, lily looked at her bewildered.

"He spends his whole life moaning and complaining, and that's exactly what his last words where, a complaint." She chuckled, but Lily understood.

"Famous last words."

"Yes they are" Lily's mother smiled.

And it was just a really nice moment.

**0o0o0o**

James read over Lily's letter and sighed, he had just wanted their 'outing' to be them two, but she'd inclined that the boys where coming too, so he just had to be glad of any time spent with her.  
>He also wondered what it was that had happened to her that made her reply so late.<br>Then a pang of realisation hit him, he could feel his heart in his throat. _Her Dad._

'Oh no oh no oh no oh no' he said to himself.

"Sup mate?" Sirius said as he walked into his room.

"Nothing" James mumbled. "Fancy coming to Diagon Alley tomorrow and meeting up with Evans?"

Sirius smirked. "Do you want me to come?"

"No. But she's expecting you, Remus and Peter to."

"Then I shall attend and I promise that I will embarrass you to the best of my abilities."

"You're a really good mate" James said sarcastically.

"You wouldn't last a day without me" Sirius boasted.

James snorted. "Right."

"You should respect me more Master Potter, I'm a guest in your house."

"Pfft!" James looked shocked "Sorry to burst your bubble, but you live here mate."

"Does your mother know about this!" Sirius asked, fake shocked.

James weighed up his options. "You've been here every day for three weeks, I think she may."

"That's fortunate."

""Mm, now bugger off you're annoying me."  
>Sirius looked betrayed but left the room.<p>

James began to write a reply to Lily.

_Evans,_

_I hope everything's alright, and like I've said before, I'm here when you need me, always have been.  
>How about a Diagon Alley meet up tomorrow? Sirius says he'll come and I'm sure I can persuade Remus and Peter and maybe you could ask Mary? <em>

_P.S- I am the best liar in existence; I just make you think I'm not, which makes me the epitome of all lie tellers. _

_P.P.S- Everything is fine with Remus AND You love the nickname Petal, you're just choosing to not acknowledge it._

Then he sent the letter back with her owl.

**0o0o0**

Lily smirked at the letter James had sent her, the mild humour in it cheered her up.  
>She kept reading that line over and over in her head. <em>I'm here when you need me, always have been. <em>Always. _Always have been. _

Reading that made her heart flip but she didn't quite know why.

She replied with a quick

_Yes sounds good, I'll ring Mary now, what time tomorrow?_

And proceeded to go downstairs and ring her best friend, Mary had gotten back from France last night.

She missed her.

"Hello?" Came the familiar voice.

"Mary, It's Lily."

"Ah, Lily! Oh my god, you should see me I'm so brown."

"You're always brown" Lily pointed out blatantly.

"Compared to you yes, but I am actually very tanned at the moment, it will put you to shame the level of my tannedness."

"Pale people are clearly superior."

"If you say so, anyway, wassup?"

"Diagon Alley tomorrow with the marauders, you up for it?"

"Lily Evans, being social and with the marauders of all people?"

"I'm a changed woman."

"I'll come."

"Excellent."

There was a voice in the background. "I'll have to go in a sec and help my mum unpack, everything alright with your family?"

"Er, yeah." Lily lied. "Yours?"

"Superb, except for y'know, the fact _she's _constantly screaming at me." Mary was talking about her mum.

Lily laughed. "Yes, yes, right go on help her unpack before she eats you."

"See you tomorrow, what time?"

"I just owled James then, I'll let you know when he replies."

"Oo-er"

"Mary!"

"Haha, sorry, right I'd better be off, see ya'"

"Bye." Lily said to the dead line.

She regretted not telling Mary about her dad, but what would she have said? She wouldn't even have known how to phrase that sort of thing, she didn't think she could tell anyone, although she had a sneaking suspicion that James Potter already knew.

Lily was making her way up to her room to check if Sid had returned, when she stopped by the guest room. She looked around the door and it was in the same condition _he _had left it in. The quilt and duvet were slept in, his breathing apparatus was pushed to the side of the room and the drip lay unused. Quietly she turned back out of the room, unable to face it, like her mother and sister had clearly been unable to do either.

Sid was in her room when she got there, she was surprised to see a long reply rather than just a short response with the time.

_Eager aren't you! Around 1ish, meet at the Leaky Cauldron? Or will you still be in bed you dirty stop out. Remus can come, not sure about Peter yet though, he may or may not have food poisoning, Sirius is currently trying to master Legilimens and work out if he's lying, I'll let you know if he succeeds.  
>Can Mary come? <em>

_James. _

She smirked again at the probably unintended humour of the note, she realised that in the past few weeks she was beginning to see a side to James that she'd never seen before, a James that wasn't arrogant and conceited, but just really nice. She shook all thoughts from her head, 'you're just mates'.

She picked up her quill and wrote back.

_Any intentions of clubbing have been cancelled for this evening, I shall be up bright and early. I'm glad Remus is well, but leave Peter alone, he's probably terrified of me and doesn't want to come, and tell Sirius he probably shouldn't try to learn legilimens to use on Peter's mind, he could find __**anything.**__  
>And yes, Mary can attend.<em>

_Lily._

She was quite please at the easy humour in her letter, it didn't look like too much effort had gone into it although she had sat and thought of a great comeback for at least 5 minutes.

She sent it away with Sid, who would have been surprised at the amount of letters he was delivering for Lily, she barley sent one a day.

As Lily predicted, the reply came no more than 10 minutes later.

_Thanks Evans, means a lot that you'd put off clubbing for me. Oh, it turns out Peter is ill. Legilimens failed but we've left a very unhappy Mrs Pettigrew with vomit all over her brand new cream carpet in a successful and cunning plan to prove Peters guiltiness, I believed him all along. Even if he was perfectly healthy until Sirius used a vomiting hex against him.  
>Any hope of him joining us is down the toilet, like his vomit (See what I did there?)<em>

_James._

And Lily actually laughed out loud this time, at the absurdity of the letter, things that probably a year ago would have seriously irritated her. She replied quickly.

_Potter, I have to say I am truly disappointed in you that you'd allow Sirius to do that, even if Peter was lying, like I said, he's probably terrified of me.  
>You're obviously Mrs Pettigrew's favourite person in the world right now, you should probably apologise, y'know? Increase the peace and that.<em>

_P.S- Your pun was ridiculous, it's embarrassing. _

_Lily. _

And she sent her reply.

She decided to go down stairs and make something to eat and ring Mary as well to inform her of the time. She took her time in hope that her owl would be there when she got back to her room, '_Was she seriously getting excited for a reply of James Potter?' _  
>She blamed it on lack of sleep.<br>However, when she returned to her room 20 minutes later Sid was there.

She tore the envelope open at an embarrassing rate.

_Evans, it was out of my hands. Once Sirius sets out to do something, he never fails; it's silly of someone to get in the way of that.  
>Peter's mum actually sent me a howler, luckily my mother was out and my dad found the whole thing hilarious.<br>Although he's making me and Sirius go around and apologise later. Happy?  
>It's safe to say the peace has officially been increased.<em>

_P.S- That pun was the most beautiful thing you've ever read, it brought tears to your eyes. Admit it. _

_James._

Lily found herself smiling, imaging the whole situation in her head.  
>She'd never met James' dad, but she imagined that was where James developed his mischievous side from. To be completely honest she knew nothing of his parents, quite obviously rich, everyone knew it, the Potters where practically royalty in the magical world. Then her throat felt hot at the mention of his dad, <em>'at least you've still got one<em>' she thought, then shook her head frantically of it, it wasn't James' fault, it was no one's fault. She pressed her lips together until they were white, stopping the tears, then she inhaled a breath. "That was a silly outburst" She muttered to herself and began a reply to James' letter.

_Alright Potter, at least someone's standing up to you. Poor Peter.  
>Anyway, I shall see you tomorrow, I hope you have something good planned because I refuse to sit around and listen to silly boy talk.<br>_

_Lily._

She sent her owl off and got changed into her pyjamas.  
>Her stomach roared aggressively and she decided to go down and eat something.<p>

"Alright love?" Her mum asked and Lily traipsed into the kitchen.

"Mm, starved."

"I've got some pasta on the hob, want some?"

Lily nodded.

"It'll be ready in about 5 minutes."

Lily went and sat down at the dinner table. "Where's Tuney?"

"Still out with Vernon."

Lily made a disgusted noise.

"He's really good to her Lily, he treats her well and he's been lovely about the whole thing with your dad." She added the last part quietly.

"God Mum you sound like you're in love with him" Lily smirked.

Her mum raised her eyebrows disapprovingly. "I've got to go to the solicitors on Friday" her mum announced.

"How come?"

"Your fathers will."

"Oh."

"Will you come with me?"

"Mum, of course I will"

"Thanks love"

Lily smiled her Mum. "What are we doing about..y'know a funeral."

"You're Auntie Betty has been really good organising it for us, reckon it will be next Thursday."

"Oh."

"You'll come?"

Lily gave a weak smile a nodded "Is he being buried?"

Her mother shook her head "He wanted to be cremated and scattered on Formby beach."

Lily raised her eyebrows "Formby beach!"

"He loved it there!" Her mother smiled fondly. "We had our first date there as well."

Lily felt really bad about her reaction and gave her mother a hug. "Well he was always full of wild ideas."

She felt her mother laugh against her cheek.

"I think the pasta's done" Her mother announced and dished it out onto two plates. "Should I leave some for Petunia?"

"No, hopefully Vernon will have fed her." Lily said seriously.

Her mother let out a laugh.

Lily looked bewildered "What's funny?"

"I just..had..an..image..of….never mind!" she said in between laughs.

"Right" Lily said, her mother's laugh infecting her.

"What's so funny?" Petunia asked as she walked into the kitchen.

Lily and her mother looked at each other instantly and the laughter started again.

"Do you want some pasta love?" Her mum asked Petunia after calming down.

"No, I ate at Vernon's; his mother made us Steamed lobster with asparagus."

"That's lovely" Her mother said.

"The asparagus was a dream, I've honestly never tasted something so yummy."

Lily snorted and Petunia scowled at her and walked away.

Lily's mum raised her eyebrows disapprovingly at Lily "Play nice."

"But she's such a snob!" Lily protested.

"Eat." Her mother plonked a bowl in front of her.

Lily stabbed her fork into two pieces of pasta and ate. "Something's missing."

"What?" Her mother frowned investigating her bowl of pasta.

"It needs some of Vernon's amazingly appetizing asparagus."

Her mother chuckled, she didn't even defend Petunia.

"I'm going out tomorrow." Lily informed her mother.

"Oh" Her mother said surprised. "Where?"

"Diagon Alley."

"With who?"

Lily rolled her eyes at her mother's nosiness. "Some friends, Mary's going."

"Marlene?"

"No, we're not mates anymore. Remember?"

"Oh yeah, Marlene's lovely though."

"Yeah, she's a dream."

They finished their pasta in silence.

"Look I'm going to go to bed now, I'm tired, I'll see you tomorrow, Mum."

"Goodnight Love" she kissed her mum goodnight and tucked herself into bed.  
>She closed her eyes ad forgot about all her troubles. Sleep was bliss.<p>

**Not much action in this chapter, there will be a lot more in the next one. I've already written half of it so it should be up soon.  
>Reviews? Honestly I really want to know what you think of it. Or just write anything, trust me, I'll appreciate a review that says blah blah blah. <strong>

**KK CYA BYE.**


	5. Maybe More

**Copyright JK Rowling.**

Lily was sat on the pavement outside her house trying to summon the Knight Bus. It wouldn't come. It was half past eleven, she was only due to meet them in an hour and a half but you could _never _trust the Knight Bus and this was a prime example of that.

"Lily, what are you doing?"

Lily jumped slightly at her sudden addressment; she turned to see Severus stood behind her.

"Oh, er, nothing." She realised then she probably looked like an idiot sat there waving her wand about in mid air when nothing was happening.

"You might want to put that away." Severus nodded at her wand.

Lily slipped her wand into the back of her jeans. "What do you want?"

"Nothing, I just thought I'd…nothing….er, how are you?"

"I'm fine." Lily said sharply.

"I heard about your dad." He said softly.

"What?" Lily stared at him.

"My mum sent a sympathy card…"

"Right." Lily said quickly.

He was bound to know, most people around here knew, word spread exceedingly fast.

"Um, so, I suppose I'll just go then"

"Do you know how to summon the Knight Bus, I can't for the life of me do it." Lily blurted out in desperation.

"You just hold your wand out..OH! is that what you where trying to do?" Severus forced back a smile and frowned it out. "Sometimes you have to wait a bit, the driver's a bit…er, well." Severus looked around awkwardly.

"Right, thanks." She smiled.

"Er, I'll just" He pointed behind himself "See you Lily."

Lily didn't reply and focused on summoning the Knight Bus and eventually, after an arm aching experience, it came.

**0o0o0o**

Lily stood awkwardly at the Leaky Cauldron waiting for Mary and The Marauders.

Tom, the owned shuffled over to her. "Drink?" He grunted.

Lily shook her head politely and he limped away mumbling.

"Evans!" Lily turned; it was the Marauders (minus Peter.)

Lily greeted them all and began chatting idly, when Mary walked in looking very flustered.

Mary had naturally dead straight brown hair, she had very angular features that where softened by her deep blue eyes, she was rather small, no taller than 5 feet, but she was pretty in a girl-next-door kind of way.

"I've had it up to here with Mundungus Fletcher!" Mary stated raising her hand above her head.

The group stifled their laughter and Lily held back on all the short people jokes that entered her mind.

"Dung's here?" Sirius asked excitedly.

"Yes" Mary waved him off irritated "Outside selling knock off cauldrons."

Sirius jumped up and with a 'be right back' he was gone.

Mary went back to her story "He's just nearly knocked my head off!"

"How?"

"One of his silly spells rebounded against a cauldron and sent them flying everywhere." She huffed and Lily smirked.

"So what are we doing today?" Mary asked.

James, Remus and Lily all shrugged.

"Nothing, you have no plan?" Mary exclaimed.

"The Marauders never have a plan." James said matter-of-factly.

"Right then." Mary huffed again.

"You're awfully huffy today." Lily said to Mary.

"No I'm not." She huffed again.

Lily raised her eyebrows in defeat.

"I say we locate Sirius and then have a browse around the shops?" Remus suggested.

"Yeah, I need to go to Quality Quidditch Supplies, I need some polish for my broom and some rope for my twigs."

Lily snorted and James looked at her confused.

"Oh! You where being serious." She tried to keep her face straight.

"You have a dirty mind Evans." James smirked at her.

"Oh shut up, Potter."

He didn't reply and turned to walk out; Mary fell back and muttered to Lily.

"I take it you and Marlene still aren't friends?"

"No"

"Stubborn"

Lily sighed "I am."

"Well if it isn't the Marauders" came a shrill irritating voice. "But wherever is Peter, and Sirius?"

"Emmeline!" James grinned "Peter's ill, Sirius is...around"

Emmeline Vance was exceptionally beautiful, she had long wavy brown hair that fell to her waist, blemish free, soft sun kissed skin. She was blessed with a enviable slim yet curvy figure and she had glimmering hazel eyes. She had perfect black arched eyebrows the shaped her face, and soft dimples in her cheeks that appeared whenever she smiled. Emmeline Vance was an angel, what you would call 'perfect'.

She always dressed like someone out of a fashion magazine, it irritated Lily, _she _irritated Lily.

Lily looked around at her companions for the day, Zamira Gulch and Marlene. Lily didn't meet her eyes, Zamira and Emmeline where in Gryffindor with them, Lily had never seen eye to eye with them, they were the 'pretty ones, the fun ones'. She didn't interact with them much.

Emmeline Vance was a flirtatious slut, and a bad one at that. She'd had her way with all of Hogwarts, including the Marauders. Peter was only too obliging for a quick snog in the broom cupboard. Remus told Lily last year that even though he didn't find Emmeline particularly attractive, she threw herself on him during a Gryffindor Quidditch win, after an awkward rejection and what Remus called "The worst kiss he'd experienced" she'd trudged off to snog no other than Sirius Black. They where each other's rebound, and it worked for them, Lily was sure they'd had sex and more than once at that. They openly flirted in public and Emmeline always grew very jealous if Sirius ever got a girlfriend, however, Sirius found her irritating and only cared for her when he was drunk, he reasoned that "she's only nice to look at and has a voice like a shrieking hippogriff".

Lily looked over and Emmeline was kissing James on the cheek.

"Watch your lips Remus you know what she's capable of" Lily muttered to Remus.

Remus chuckled and walked forward to give Emmeline a quick hug.

"Mary, Lily! It's been to long!" Emmeline shrieked and ran forward to hug them. It was a very awkward hug on both parties.

They all sat down around the outside table of The Leaky Cauldron.

Emmeline turned to James and began chatting to him, flirting and tossing her hair like an idiot, she was talking about some party they'd been to a few days before and was still suffering from a hangover.  
>Lily lost interest and turned to Mary.<br>"I stopped being friends with Marlene for 5 minutes and now she's best friends with that" she muttered

Mary smirked "It wasn't like she had a choice"

"She had...you" Lily protested.

Mary shrugged "Me and you where best friends, I suppose she was like a third wheel."

Lily frowned and began to protest until she heard Remus 'Oh God' under his breath and she tuned she see.

"Sirius!" Emmeline shrieked in a silly voice.

Sirius forged a smile "Em, how're you?"

"Excellent" she beamed, Sirius walked closer and gave her a hug. "You've not returned any of my owls" she said quiet enough so only Lily, Mary and James heard.

"I've...been busy, sorry." he dithered.  
>Mary put her fist in her mouth to stifle her laughter and James looked at Lily and smirked, causing her to smirk back.<p>

"Oh...right" Emmeline said awkwardly.

"So! Marlene, good summer?" Remus asked, over enthusiastically.

Marlene was a pretty girl, although it wasn't very recognised.  
>She had loose curly light brown hair that was practically blonde, she was pale and had a natural rosiness to her cheeks, she had green eyes that weren't as piercing as Lily's, but more of a grey colour, she was rather tall and an average weight, Marlene McKinnon was average.<p>

"Oh" Marlene said, slightly blushing at Remus' sudden address to her. "It's been alright."

"Ellie Fenwick's house party last Sunday was fabulous!" Marlene announced turning the attention back to her "Wasn't it marls?"

Marlene nodded "it was..fun"

"Where was our invite?" Sirius demanded.

"Oh Siri!" Emmeline began "It was Ellie's 21st! We where only in 3rd year when she left, she wouldn't know who you where!"

"How does she know you?" Mary asked abruptly.

"Oh, she doesn't, not really. Her brother got us invited didn't he Marls? You know, Sam, he's just left Hogwarts, gorgeous 7th year he was, always had a girlfriend, his younger brother is Benjy, from our year. You lot share a room with him don't you?"

"Yeah, he's nice" Remus responded.

Emmeline looked over to see Sirius' reaction, however he was sat there tearing bits of napkin up seemingly uninterested in what she had to say.

"Sam spent the whole night flirting with me didn't he Marls? He is truly gorgeous, don't you think girls?"

Mary, Zamira and Marlene nodded in agreement.

"Er, he's a bit" Lily screwed up her nose.

Everyone looked at her.

"Sam is perfect." Emmeline argued.

"He just seems a bit.."

"What?" Emmeline pressed

"Too into himself."

"Who wouldn't be with a face like that? Phwoarh, he's lovely" Emmeline chuckled.

Lily sighed, James smirked at her.

**0o0o0o**  
>After several hours of walking around Diagon Alley and getting extremely bored with it, Sirius and James led the group to a narrow country road, miles away from where they had started, with promises of 'fun activities' awaiting them.<p>

"Look boys, there's only so far I can walk in these heels" Emmeline lifted her foot up and pointed to it.

"We're almost there" James replied

"Give me a piggy back then Jamesy" Emmeline said flirtatiously.

James obliged and Emmeline hopped up onto his back. It was getting dark now, it was almost 10ish and The Marauders claimed they had a great place to take them all.

Lily blushed in fury, Emmeline was making a show of herself, but why was she bothered, it was only James Potter?

Remus linked Lily's arm "He finds her annoying, don't worry" he whispered.

"Why are you telling me that?" Lily frowned.

"You looked... concerned."

"I'm not."

Remus smiled. "James likes you y'know"

Lily rolled her eyes. "He's mentioned it himself a few times"

Remus chuckled "So, you needn't worry about Emmeline, she's just his bit of fun."

Lily frowned, confused "What do you mean..?"

"I mean, what he gets up to with her, means nothing to him"

Lily's eyes widened "Remus I don't care for James in that way!"

Remus nodded "Okay."

"Seriously!" Lily started "I couldn't care less about what he was up to, he's vile."

"Alright" Remus said, although not quite convinced.  
>Lily dropped his arm and walked over to Mary.<p>

"Where's Zamira gone?"

"She went home like an hour ago, we walked past her house."

"Oh"

"You really don't pay any attention"

"Guess not."

"I spoke to Marlene before"

"Oh yeah?"

"I said, why do you let her call you Marls, you hate it."

"What did she say?"

"I don't mind it."

"She's fooling no one."

"Except Emmeline"

"Please, a flobber worm could fool Emmeline."

The girls chuckled.

"Why are we even here with her anyway?" Mary asked "Why didn't we just bail like Zamira"

Lily thought. "...Potter and Black and rather persuasive."

Mary snorted "So, we listen to them now?"

Lily smirked "Merlin, what's happened to me"

"WE'RE HERE!" Sirius shouted.  
>Eventually everyone was gathered around a dirt path that led down to something that couldn't be seen in the darkness.<p>

"What's down their Black, I don't trust you." Lily raised her eyebrows.

"Lily!" Emmeline giggled jumping off James' back and grabbing Marlene's hand "Live a little"  
>And she ran off down the muddy path with Marlene in tow. Lily shook off her comment and looked at Sirius for an answer.<p>

"You'll just have to go down and find out won't you ginge?" Sirius said cockily and went after Emmeline and Marlene, Remus followed and so did Mary, until it was just James and Lily.

Lily narrowed her eyes at James. "What's down their Potter?"

"Now, now Evans, I can't divulge that information however I'm a gentleman of good honour and won't leave you stood here alone, so, after you?" he grinned.

Lily took in a breath and followed the path down.

"Why aren't you and Marlene speaking?" James asked and Lily turned round and glared at him but he couldn't see because of the dark.

"It's not your business" Lily replied.

"Is it to do with Snape?" James blurted out.

"Yeah" Lily sighed.

"So?"

"I need to stop accidentally telling you stuff Potter, I swear you keep slipping me veritiserum."

James laughed and walked closer behind Lily. "How are you?" he asked quietly.

"I'm fine." Lily responded sternly. "Why"

James hesitated. "Your, er...Dad, I assumed with the letter?"

Lily stopped dead. "You know, don't you?" Her voice weak.

James bumped into her slightly but didn't move back. "Yes" he said quietly and it made the hairs stand up on her neck.

Lily quickly composed herself and kept walking. "I'm good now."

"You sure?"

"She said I was being too harsh on Severus and should accept his apology." Lily said quickly.

"What?" James asked, confused.

"Marlene, why were not speaking"

"Oh." James remembered "That doesn't sound like Marlene"

"Yup."

"That's not like her, I thought she hated Snape."

"As did I"

Lily saw and orange light just slightly in the distance and recognised it as a fire.

"I hope they have something to do with that otherwise we should probably turn around and run" Lily announced.

James tutted. "It's what some folk call a bonfire Evans, lighten up."

"Please, I know what a bonfire-OW!"  
>At that moment Lily had tripped over a tree trunk and landed funny on her ankle, crashing to the floor.<p>

"What?" James asked.  
>It was pitch black and he couldn't see a thing, he stood on something that felt alive.<p>

"OW! James that was my sore foot you fat shit!" she cried.

James was laughing "What happened?"

"I don't know" Lily said irritated.  
>And tried to get up, disguising the fact she could put no weight on her foot.<p>

"Are you okay Evans?" James asked.

"I'm perfectly fine."

"Okay, let's go then" He smirked at her and walked off.

Lily grabbed hold of the tree trunk and balanced herself. "Nice of you to just leave me here you arse" she muttered to herself.

"Oi! I said before I was a gentleman, i'm finding you a twig" came James' voice however Lily couldn't locate it.

"A twig? How thoughtful" Lily shouted in reply, starting to hop down the path,

"Woah Woah woah" James was next to her now. "Here" he said offering her a large twig shaped like a crutch.

Lily frowned and took it. "I hope this isn't hexed or something."

James looked betrayed "You don't trust me enough."

Lily snorted "Why should I? You're a marauder!"

James sighed. "Fine. Suffer." and he walked off.

"Arse!" Lily shouted after him.

She tried to hop again but realised the twig-crutch thing would be really helpful right now, so she hobbled down the last bit of path using the twig as balance and saw everyone huddled around the fire.

"Oh Merlin! Lily! What's wrong with your leg?" Emmeline broadcasted. Everyone turned to look at Lily and she felt herself go red in the face.

"I tripped, I'm fine." Lily mumbled and began to look for somewhere to sit.

"Anyway" Emmeline turned the attention back to herself. "You all know Emma Vanity?"

Lily switched off.

"Here" Remus said quietly and helped her around to a log to sit on. "Is it broken?"

"I'm not sure" Lily admitted.

Remus slid off her shoes and felt around her ankle.

Lily inhaled sharply through her teeth.

"Fractured, I can fix it, but James is better, I'll get him-"

"No!" Lily protested "Can't you do it?"

"Er alright, yeah, although this is underage magic" Remus bit his lip.

"Oh." Lily bit the side of her cheek.

"If James does it he won't get in trouble, pure bloods never do." Remus suggested.

"Okay, fine." Lily agreed.

Remus walked over to James and muttered into his ear, James grinned and got up and came over.

"Can't last 5 minutes without my help can you Evans?"

"Just get on with it and fix my foot, it's your fault anyway."

"Is it?"

"Yes, you stood on it when it was at a funny angle."

"Well I'm sure it was already broken before then." James said harshly.

Lily didn't reply.

"Episkey" James waved his wand at Lily's ankle.

"AH!" lily cried as a fast burning crack pulsated through her foot, however the sudden pain left as soon as it had come and her foot felt better.

"Is it okay?" James asked.

"Yeah."

"Can you stand up?"

Lily hesitated before slowly rising to her feet, the pain from before had gone.

"Yes"

James smiled and walked back to his seat on the log.

"Thank you, James." Lily said awkwardly.

James smirked.

"Right!" Sirius perked up. "Playing ten fingers, who's game?"

"I'm in" James and Mary cheered.

"Oh my gosh, I LOVE this game" Emmeline screeched.

"I'm in if you are" Remus murmured to Lily.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Fine."

"Everyone playing?" Sirius asked.

The group nodded.

Sirius handed firewhisky bottles out to everyone.

"Me first!" Emmeline giggled.

Everyone quietly groaned.

"I've never...played quidditch"

"Boring!" Sirius exclaimed taking a swig out of his drink.

"You've got to start of easy Sirius" Emmeline replied flashing a smile.

Sirius was next. "I've never had sex in a forest."

Emmeline took a swig.

"What!" Mary exclaimed and Emmeline grinned. All the boys where staring at her, mouths agape.

"Arnold Peasegood, in February, forbidden forest" Emmeline chuckled.

Remus cleared his throat "I've never...kissed a lad"

Lily, Marlene, Mary and Emmeline took a swig, as did Sirius and James.

They all raised their eyebrows.

"Bromance is inevitable after several fire whiskey's and no females." Sirius admitted.

Lily burst out laughing and everyone followed. "Okay, okay" James said "I've never...kissed a Slytherin."

Emmeline took a drink.

Everyone looked at Lily. "What?"

"You never kissed Snape?" Emmeline asked.

"WHAT!" Lily choked on her words.

"Weren't you together?" Emmeline asked.

"NO!" Lily shouted "We were just mates,_ Merlin_, did everyone think that!"

"No.""Yes."  
>Lily looked blank "Terrific."<p>

"Right" Marlene spoke "I've never...had sex."

James, Sirius, Emmeline and Mary all took a swig.

James caught Lily's eyes and she looked down quickly, was she bothered? No, she knew it was probably true that James had, had sex, this just clarified it, James was a player, but she couldn't help think that it shouldn't be true, it was her he liked, no one else, why was he with other people? He obviously didn't like her anymore. Lily felt overcome with disappointment, _was she jealous?_

"Mary? Your turn."

Mary cleared her throat "I have never...been drunk."

Everyone drank.

"Evans when have you been drunk?" Sirius demanded.

Mary snorted "She was sick in my bed, I made her sleep in it."

"At Hogwarts?"

Lily nodded. "At the slug club, last Christmas"

Everyone laughed "Lily Evans you underdog." Sirius sang.

Lily just rolled her eyes.

Sirius spoke up, "I've never...been in love."

James and Emmeline took a drink, but no one asked questions.

Lily quickly changed the subject.  
>"I've never pranked any Slytherins"<p>

James, Sirius and Remus took a swig.

"That's cheating" James frowned. "I've never tripped over a tree trunk and broken my ankle."

Lily glared at him and took a swig. "I've never threatened to throw myself off the astronomy tower to get a girl to go out with me."

James scowled and took a drink. "I've never been best friends with a Slytherin for 6 years."

Lily looked at James disbelievingly and spoke.  
>"I've never been such an arrogant toe rag of a person who is impeccably rude and never fails to irritate me, who thinks it's cool and talented to hex people in the corridor when quite frankly, it's just bullying."<p>

James and Lily stared at each other and everyone sat around awkwardly.

"I'm all out of this" Sirius said quickly, "Spin the bottle"

Everyone reluctantly agreed accept for Lily who stood up and walked off to sit on a rock by the lake.

"Scowling gives you wrinkles." Remus sat opposite her.

"That's a myth."

Remus laughed awkwardly "That was a bit heated"

Lily exhaled "He truly is a git isn't he."

Remus chewed his inner cheek "He's my best mate."

"Loyal prick." Lily said smiling.

"It's my inner animal."

Lily frowned "When is the next moon?"

"I have about a week and a half. Two days before we go back to school, lucky me."

"There's something that you're not telling me about that night, I can tell." Lily raised her eyebrows at Remus who looked like he was starting to decline everything but stopped himself.

"You needn't worry yourself with it" Remus gave Lily a genuine smile.

Lily snorted "Remus, you're my best friend out of all the male species. I'll be worried whether I know or not."

Remus looked over to James and Sirius, who was kissing Mary in his game of 'Spin the bottle'.  
>"I don't think I'm supposed to tell."<p>

Lily ran her fingers through her hair "You don't trust me?"

"I trust you with my life" Remus said simply.

Lily's expression darkened "Then tell me"

"We think we have the knife that I got attacked with."

Lily gasped "Is that good?"

Remus fingered an old scar on his cheek. "It's awful."

Lily frowned.

"The knife I mean. It's saturated in dark magic, you can practically feel it radiating off."

Lily winced at the thought. "What have you done with it, wait...where did you even get it?"

He sighed "it was in the den where Sirius found me, I'm not sure how...and we've done nothing with it yet, James might show his dad but...we're not sure yet"

Lily rubbed her bottom lip between her finger and thumb. "Thanks for telling me Remus." she smiled.

They sat there for a few moments.

"It's a stupid game" Remus muttered and Lily looked over and saw Emmeline practically on top of James snogging him senseless.

Lily felt a pang of jealousy and turned away quickly.  
>"She makes me cringe."<p>

"Emmeline?" Remus asked.

Lily huffed "Yes."

"Ah, she's just trying to make Sirius jealous and James...well James is always up for a good snog."

"It's not working." Lily nodded to Sirius who was grinning wildly for James.

"It never does" Remus tutted. "He can't stand her."

"I should go home soon." Lily realised.

"What? It's only.." Remus looked at his watch. "Christ, only midnight.."

Lily gave a sarcastic nod and stood.  
>"I'm gonna walk back up to the main road and get the knight bus, you coming?"<p>

"No, Er, Sirius is apparating us back to James'"

"Ah, benefits of apparition." Lily laughed.

"I'll owl you." Remus smiled and hugged Lily. "Be safe."

Lily avoided saying goodbye to the rest of the group but gave Mary a knowing look as she left.  
>The alcohol was getting to her head, it was exactly what had happened and Slughorns Christmas party last year, she'd gone with Edward Vector who was in ravenclaw in the year above, who was astonishingly boring and Lily had unknowingly drank herself through 3 bottles of fire whisky. She was a light weight. Her dad would have skit her for it, because last summer Petunia came home very drunk from a party at 6 o'clock in the morning and her dad had said he couldn't take light weight drinkers serious in life, she was glad he would never find out about it.<p>

"Leaving?"

Lily looked over her shoulder but she couldn't make out who it was, it was too dark, but she recognised the voice.

"What do you want, Potter?"

"Had to check you hadn't broken your foot again."

Lily rolled her eyes. "I think i'll be alright."

"There's trunks everywhere i should escort you up."

"No."

"Yes."

Lily narrowed her eyes. "Kay."

James grinned. "On we go then."

They started walking up the path again.

James frowned. "I'm sorry about before"

"O-kay…"

"Just when I thought we were starting to get on" James sighed.

"Yes, well you come across less conceited in letters you know, I thought you where alright for a bit, till we spoke face to face."

"Thanks, I'll bear that one in mind."

"I suppose I was a bit harsh as well…" Lily admitted.

"Mm." James agreed and ran his fingers through his hair. "We can't quite be civil with each other can we?"

"It's just in our nature." Lily smirked.

"You'll grow to love me one day, Evans." James grinned cheekily.

"You should be so lucky" Lily snorted.

James smiled forcefully.

"I should get going then, I won't keep you from your er, 'game'"

"How're you getting home?" James asked.

"Knight Bus."

"Ah, right well,"

"Yup."

"You know I am sorry, Lily." James pressed again.

"Potter, its fine. Go."

"Shall we kiss and make up?"

Lily glared at him. "Goodbye, Potter."

"Night Lils."

She watched James walk away, with a funny feeling in her stomach.

Lily held out her wand and the knight bus appeared, the grouchy, plump middle aged man with a thick yorkshire accent welcomed her as she got onto the bus and told her destination.

"We've got a few on board tonight luv', it'll be about an hour."

And Lily sat on one of the beds, completely regretting being so mean to James Potter.

**A/N- That chapter was a bit longer than the others!  
>I'm in such a writing mood lately, although I'd already written loads of this chapter when I last updated.<br>I don't know if I really like this chapter so I might go back and edit it.  
>Righty roo.<br>Thanks to everyone who put the story on alert, it would be nice to hear what you have to say about the story and have your feedback on a review? **

**Yes, I am begging for reviews, how very silly. REVIEW.**


	6. Eventful

**Copyright J.K Rowling.**

James Potter was sat in a house he'd never been in before; a house belonging to somebody he didn't know; a house with a couch that was very uncomfortable and lumpy. The house smelt vaguely of old people and staleness. In fact, the smell did nothing to help the sick feeling he had in his chest. _Everything _was wrong.  
>He gnawed at the skin around his fingernails in apprehension.<p>

"I'm gonna do it." He announced.

"Don't mate, _please_."

"Sirius, d'you really think it's doing the situation much good sat in your dead Uncle Alphard's house?"James questioned.

Sirius rubbed his forehead. "We knew this would happen."

"Yes. We did."

"You wouldn't be so calm about it if you where me!" Sirius protested.

James stood up. "You're my best mate Sirius, _best,_ I care enough to have stayed with you to the most depressing house to date!"

Sirius looked around and shrugged. "S'not that bad."

"It's awful."

Sirius pouted and looked away. "I like it."

"Don't give me that, let's just go home, talk to my Mum and Dad, they'll know what to do." James reasoned.

Sirius hesitated and shook his head. "I'm causing problems, your parents don't need this stress on them, and I'm better finding my own place to live."

"And this is your choice of habitat?" James asked.

"Course not, I'll get an apartment."

"Not this year."

"Why?"

"You'll come back with us for the rest of them summer, I assure you we'll be safe."

"I am such an Idiot."

"I know."

"Why did I have to carry it around with me?"

"I don't know."

Sirius clenched his fists.

"Padfoot." James said quietly. "Let's go back. Come on."

Sirius nodded and stood, taking James' arm and apparating them back to Potter Manor.

They walked into the house seemingly unnoticed. James and Sirius instinctively headed for the kitchen considering the only thing they'd eaten in the last 24 hours was a packet of Doritos and a tub of sour cream dip and hummus

"We've been worried sick." Mrs Potter stood leaning against the counter with her arms crossed, sullen-faced.

"Oh dear"

"Think you could just walk in unnoticed? Your Dad was getting ready to send out a search party!"

"Sorry." James mumbled.

"CHARLES!" Mrs Potter shouted her husband and he hurried into the kitchen, upon noticing the two boys his eyes grew wide.

"WHERE ON THIS EARTH HAVE YOU BEEN, BOYS?"

"Er"

"WELL!"

"It's a bit complicated."

"I want you to tell me _everything._"

"Er" James looked over uneasily as Sirius who nodded.

"As long as you live in this house James Potter, you tell us everything."

"Then we start 48 hours ago."

**48 hours earlier**

"It's got some sort of engraving on it."

"What?" James asked with a mouth full of cornflakes.

"The knife." Sirius whispered. "Look."

Sirius lifted up the knife to show James, it was silver, not very large but big enough to do damage, the handle was also silver, a pattern engraved along it and written minutely at the bottom was 'Aurum Mortem'.

"Aurum Mortem?"

"It's Latin." Sirius clarified.

"Well what does it mean?"

"Well, 'Mortem' means death."

James nodded. "Aurum?"

Sirius shrugged. "I don't know that one."

"This has to belong to a death eater."

"You don't know that."

"You can't honestly look at that and say it's not exceptionally dark magic, it's worse than something you'd find in Borgin and Burkes!"

"Anyone could have charmed it!"

"Why are you defending them?"

"I'm not!" Sirius snapped.

"Well it doesn't look that way."

"Prongs…I'm not, look-"

"Doesn't matter." James got up and left the kitchen.

"Where are you going?"

"Nowhere."

Then he slammed the kitchen door.

**0o0o0o**

Lily loved being on swings. You where in a place where you where close enough to the ground to feel human, but far away enough to feel free. It was perfect, closing her eyes and throwing her head back, manoeuvring her legs in the air to keep herself swinging. Being on swings reminded her of being younger.

She really wanted to be on a swing now. She could see it from her window, it was close enough…

"We're going Lily, come on!" Lily's Mum shouted from downstairs.

Lily thumped down each step making it known she didn't want to go.

"I don't want to go."

"Tough." Was all her mother said.

"_Tough_?"

"Tough."

"This is cruel, this is child negligence, this is against my free will as a human, this is-"

"None of your reasons are valid, so just shut up." Her mother replied.

"Petunia doesn't want me to go, that's valid enough."

"She invited _us_, of course she wants you to come."

Lily looked blankly at her mother. "She invited _you_, not me."

"I'm not going on my own Lily, you're coming with me, you come home for the summer and I hardly ever see you."

"That's a load of bullshit."

"Lily!" Her Mum gasped.

"You know it is, I've been home nearly every day!"

"You seem… distant then."

"Things have changed…"

"Well my mind hasn't, you're coming."

"But Vernon is soo boring."

"You're just not used to him, that's all."

Lily raised her eyebrow. "There's nothing to get used to, there's nothing to him! What you see is what you get, right?"

Her mother shook her head. "Be a nicer sister."

"You should say that to Petunia."

"I do."

"Well, I don't think she's received the message."

"Out! Now!" Her mother opened the front door.

Lily huffed loudly and frowned at her mum, and stepped heavily outside. "This is not fair."

"Get in the car and shut up."

Lily sat sulking for half the car journey.

"You better not have a face like a slapped arse when we're at the Dursley's, Vernon's mother is being lovely cooking for us like this."

"I should probably warn you something in advance."

"What?" Lily's mother looked concerned.

"If this asparagus Petunia spoke so highly about is revolting, I'm storming straight out of their house."

Her mother held back a laugh. "There probably won't even be asparagus."

**0o0o0o**

There was asparagus.

A casserole dish full in the middle of the table.

"You haven't got any Asparagus, my dear!" Vernon's mother stated shoving the dish at Lily.

Lily, after a severe glare from her mother scooped up some Asparagus with the large spoon that was provided and put them on her plate; she sent Vernon's mother a smile and pushed the dish back into the centre of the table.

The asparagus was disgusting.

Lily ate holding her breath to be polite, Petunia was such a liar.

_Thud._

Something hit the patio doors, and made a sort of echoing sound through the kitchen.

"Oh my!" Vernon's mother mused. "Is that an _owl_?"

Lily spun around immediately, it was an owl.

"I don't think it is..." Lily said quickly.

"That's definitely an owl! We never get owls around here do we, Bob?" Mrs Dursley addressed her husband, he grumbled in response.

The owl hadn't moved, it was lying against the flags outside, Lily could see the letter tied to its feet.

"Poor thing, I'll go and check on it.." Mrs Dursley stood.

"NO!"Petunia cried and Mrs Dursley frowned at her.

"Why ever not?"

"Because…Lily should do it!" Petunia said quickly and Lily became aware that everybody was now looking at her, looking for a reason as to why she should be the one to check on the owl.

"Oh, yes!" Lily stood up, and everyone looked bemused.

"Well, I want to be a vet you see…" Lily said slowly. "This is practise." She added unconvincingly

Petunia's face lifted and she looked relieved. "Go on then, Lily"

Lily slid the patio door open and crouched down to the bird, making sure her back was to everyone; she quickly slipped the envelope into her jean pocket, and poked the bird. It was unconscious. She didn't recognise the owl at all. It's feathers where the blackest black she'd ever seen, it had no other colour to it, just black.

"Wake up." She whispered to the owl, it didn't budge.

What was she supposed to do? She had a room full of people thinking she aspired to be a Veterinary Nurse, and she had no idea how to help an owl that had knocked itself out by flying into a door. She stood up and walked back into the kitchen, and with the straightest possible face ever, she spoke.

"It's fine, just unconscious."

"Oh good, where is it now?" Mrs Dursley asked.

"Still on the patio..." Lily replied

"Don't leave it there! We have a spare budgie cage in the airing cupboard, I'll get that for you."

_Spare budgie cage?_

Mrs Dursley returned a few seconds later with a large square cage in hand, "Here you are."

Lily took the cage outside and put it down on the floor, picked up the owl and put it in the cage, she brought the birdcage back into the house. "Where should I put this?"

"In the garage my dear, it's just that door there." Mrs Dursley pointed to a wooden door and Lily went through it and set the birdcage down on top of an old washing machine, she took this opportunity to read her letter, the envelope had been sealed with a marking of a snake, with tiny, unreadable words around it.  
>She tore the envelope open.<p>

_Your blood is dirty.  
>You are not pure.<br>Stop infecting our magic.  
>Stay away.<br>You have been warned. _

Lily turned the letter over, nothing on the back.  
>She read the letter over and over.<br>Her face was hot. She felt sick. She wanted to leave. She could feel the blood pounding in her head, not even admitting the inevitable to herself.  
>She now understood the reason why several muggle born students left school suddenly last year, and why everyone had said they didn't expect most to come back in September.<br>They had gotten this letter.

She heard cutlery hit a plate and she quickly stuffed the letter back in her pocket and left the Dursley's garage.

Her plate had been taken away when she got back to the table, she was thankful.  
>She was quiet for the rest of the afternoon and her mother picked up on this, so at four o'clock, they left the Dursley's house, taking the owl with them.<p>

"What did the letter say?" Her mother asked her when she got in the car.

"What?" Lily asked as if she didn't know what she was talking about.

"The owl? Quick thinking on the Vet thing."

"Oh the owl? That was nothing… it was just Marlene." Lily lied.

"I thought you wasn't friends with Marlene?"

'_Crap' _Lily thought. _'Why is she so sharp?'_

"Er, we're not."

"What did she say then that's got you in such a big mood?"

"Nothing."

"She sent you a blank letter then?"

"Yep, quite rude really."

Her mother narrowed her eyes at Lily, but Lily didn't meet her eyes and focused on the hem of her top.

"Fine."

**0o0o0**

"Prongs I wasn't defending them."

"You were."

"I wasn't."

"You know what happened to Remus."

"Yeah, what that gang did was awful, I know that."

"You just like the knife." James accused.

"What?"

"The knife! Your intrigued by it, aren't you!" James said pointedly.

"Wh-what!"

James gave Sirius a look.

"It interests me alright? But you know better than anyone that something like that isn't going to make me toddle over to Voldemort!"

James sighed, "Sorry mate…it's just, you seem so reluctant to admit that it's something belonging to a death eater."

Sirius just shrugged. "I think there's more to it, that's all."

"Ah."

The boys sat in silence for a while.

"I'm gonna go for a natter with your mum, you coming?"

"Nah."

"Alright"

James exhaled as he watched Sirius walk away, _he could never doubt his best friend._

**0o0o0**

Lily sat in her room staring at the swing in the park, in the past two hours, a group of teenagers and several young children had all occupied it, but now it stood vacant. Her swing. She went downstairs and her mum was asleep on the couch. Lily left her house and set out for the park.

It was empty, and she liked it that way.

An evening summer breeze brushed her face delicately, as she swayed on the swing.

"I miss this."

She turned to see the person on the swing next to her, Severus.

"I miss it to." Lily agreed.

"We'd spend so long on these swings, remember?"

"Yeah." Lily smiled at the memory. "Until the older kids kicked us off and we'd go and sit under the oak tree."

"And see who could do the best bit of magic."

"You always won." Lily added.

Severus gave a light laugh. "Yeah."

"Everything's changed now though." Lily said, her voice harsher than intended.

"Well that's your fault as much as mine." Severus said quickly.

"I didn't indicate that it was anyone's fault, you know that."

Severus stared at her, emotionless. "You did."

Neither of them said anything for at least 5 minutes.

"I got a letter." Lily said flatly.

"That's…nice."

Lily snorted sardonically. "From your lot I expect, some sort of threat."

"My lot?"

Lily nodded. "Deceitful type, that are mad about the sort of blood you have."

Severus raised his eyebrows. "They're not my lot."

Lily jumped up off the swing. "Well don't act like one of them then."

"I don't!" Severus protested but Lily wasn't listening, she was getting the letter out of her pocket and unravelling it, she read it to him, twice. When she was finished, she spoke.

"I suppose you where right all along weren't you? At the end of the day it doesn't matter who I am, I'll still just be a filthy mudblood." Her voice faltered.

Snape looked lost for words, Lily stared back at him. He started to say something but she just walked off, she didn't want to listen to it.

**0o0o0**

"I'm telling you Sirius, the book 'Best beauty spells' will sort that right out, we've got it in the library." Mrs Potter assured.

"Sort what out?" James asked who had just walked into the room.

"Nothing. It's nothing." Said Sirius quickly, who's cheeks were now a luscious shade of red.

Mrs Potter stood up and muttered something about an errand and left the room.

"What just happened here?" James asked Sirius.

"Nothing!" Sirius said too quickly.

James looked a mixture between amused and weary. "We can go up to the library now and get that book for you if you want?"

"Oh, Piss off." Sirius grumbled.

"I was thinking-"

"Oh was you? Lovely."

James glowered at Sirius. "We should ask Evans about the knife."

"Um, okay.."

"It's just, er, y'know, her mind works in a different way to ours, she might see something we don't or something, y'know, whatever."

Sirius smirked at James. "That was the worst attempt of subtleness I've witnessed. It embarrassed me."

"You know what I mean though."

"I reckon Remus has already told her though." Sirius stated.

"How come?"

"He said to me, 'I told Lily we have the knife'"

"Oh."

"Mh, I know."

"Still, she hasn't _seen _it has she, it's a bit…different seeing something than just hearing about it."

"Yeah, I suppose."

"So we'll go to her house tomorrow? You know where she lives don't you?"

"Er yeah, sure."

**0o0o0**

Lily didn't sleep at all that night; the thought of the letter was all that ran through her mind, as well as her dad.  
>It was his funeral today.<br>Lily looked at the clock on her bedside table 06:41.

'_There's no point trying to sleep now' _Lily thought to herself. So she got up, and went downstairs, they had to be at the church for 10am so it was pointless getting ready yet.

She turned the radio on, it was tuned onto Radio 1, Petunia's favourite station. Lily thought better than to tamper with it, so just left it on, listening to the DJ Noel Edmonds. She couldn't stand him.

Although the music playing wasn't all that bad, Lily loved muggle music.

'_When I was younger, so much younger than today,__ I__ never needed anybody's help in any way.__But now these days are gone, I'm not so self assured,__now I find I've changed my mind and opened up the doors.' _she sang the tune quietly to herself.

_'Help me if you can_, _I'm feeling down_ _and I do appreciate you being 'round. Help me get my feet back on the ground, won't you please, please help me…'_

Lily had an awful singing voice, she once recorded herself on a cassette and it was the worst thing she'd ever heard, it still didn't stop her from liking music.  
>She fixed herself some Weetabix, and was surprised to look up at the clock and see it was eight o'clock. She looked down to her bowl of Weetabix, soggy. She must've fallen asleep, she could hear movement upstairs, and so she emptied her soggy Weetabix into the bin, and trailed off upstairs, where her sister was in the shower.<p>

"All ready for today?" Her mother asked, with a small smile.

Lily shrugged. "Are you?"

"I'll be fine, can you get ready in an hour? We're walking down to your Aunts before then getting the cars to the church."

Lily nodded and began to get ready.

After an hour of arguing with Petunia, and carefully selecting a black dress and tights, the Evans women were ready to leave the house, and it was only until they where halfway to her Aunt's house (who only lived 2 streets away) that Lily realised she'd forgotten her wand.

"You'll be fine without it!" her mother mumbled.

"No, look I'll just run back and get it, honest, I need it." Lily protested, thinking about the letter.

"But you're underage, you can't use it anyway!"

"You go on, I'll meet you there." Lily turned and jogged back to her house.

"Don't be long!" her mother shouted after her.

When Lily reached her house, she let herself in and proceeded up the stairs into her room, she located her wand at the side of her bed and put it down her tights, so that it was held in place between her hip and the elastic of the tights.

She went back downstairs and opened the door, nearly walking into the person that was there, Lily's arm moved to her wand quickly, before she realised who it was.

"Potter?" She asked, wildly confused.

He smiled at her.

"And me!" Sirius Black popped up from behind James and waved. "Alright?"

"What are you doing here?" she asked them.

"Well, we came to see you of course."

"Well, I'm sort of going out now…"

"Oh." James said disappointedly "Where are you going?"

They didn't know. Well at least, Sirius didn't, and whether James did or not was a different matter, he knew _something _but not clarified what.

"My Aunts." She said quickly, and it wasn't even a lie.

"Are you walking there?" James asked, hopefulness in his eyes.

"Er, yes…why?"

"Good. We can walk and talk, can't we Pads?"

"We most definitely can."

They both grinned at Lily, causing her to roll her eyes, but she eventually locked the door and allowed them to walk with her.

"We want to talk to you, about the knife Remus was attacked with."

"Oh," Lily said, surprise evident in her tone.

"Well, we know he told you we have it." Sirius cleared up.

Lily smiled. "Right.."

"I've got it here." Sirius dug into a pouch he had around his neck and pulled out a silver knife.

Lily's mouth fell open. "Is that it?"

"It is."

"_Merlin!_" Lily started "It looks…dangerous."

James chortled, "Well noticed."

Lily shot him a look before turning back to the knife and examining it with her eyes. "Oh, I don't like it.."

Sirius pulled the knife back into his wrath defensively.

"Why did you want to talk to me about the knife then?"

"We needed to ask you a few things."

Lily looked down at her watch. 10 to 10 was the time.

"Look, I can't do this right now" she said rubbing her forehead. "If you'd just meet me in that park later at about 1ish, I should be back then." She pointed to the park across the road.

James and Sirius nodded.

"Right, well I'll see you at one then."

"See ya."

She left them there and proceeded on to her Aunt's house.

**0o0o0**

The funeral was…upsetting. An irrational amount of tears were shed between almost everyone at the ceremony. The after 'party' was to be held at her aunties, but a little after 1 o'clock, Lily made her excuses and left, heading for the park.

"She's late." Sirius stated looking down at his watch.

"She'll just be busy, she won't have forgotten." James defended.

James and Sirius sat horizontal from each other on a round-a-bout.

"Mm." Sirius mused. "You never know."

James rolled his eyes, catching eye of a group of people on the other side of the park and turning to see.

"Oh my Merlin, that's Snape!" James said quietly.

Sirius looked over to investigate. "What's he doing here?"

"He lives around here."

Sirius kept peering over James' shoulder.

"He's with Malfoy!" Sirius nearly shouted. "Lucius Malfoy!"

"SHHH!" James pleaded.

"What d'you reckon he's up to?"

James shrugged. "Recognise any of the others with them?"

"Erm.." Sirius squinted. "I think the dark haired one's name is Dolohov…"

James nodded. "That's definitely Mulciber with his back to us, I'd recognise him anywhere."

Sirius silently agreed. "Don't let them see us."

"How come Snape and Mulciber are meeting up with potential death eaters anyway?"

Sirius chewed his lip. "I think the answer to that question is obvious."

"We can't let Evans see, she'll be horrified."

Sirius frowned. "She doesn't care for him anymore."

"You'd be surprised" James said rolling his eyes. "C'mon, let's go."

They scuttled out of the park quickly, but not before Lily walked in.

"HI LILY." Sirius said, enthusiastically suspicious.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "What've you done.."

"Nothing." James said quickly. "Can we go to your house?"

"Er, not really…can't we do this here."

"No." Sirius said in a deep voice shaking his head.

"Oh, erm, why?"

Sirius shifted his position blocking Lily's peripheral vision, this only made her glance over his shoulder quickly, then look back again in realisation.

"Oh my God." She froze.

"Don't go mental or nothing." Sirius said calmly. "But he's with some suspected death eaters."

"Nice one, Pads." James said giving a sarcastic thumbs up.

Sirius opened his mouth to protest, but then Lily spoke. "We'll go back to my house, you can see the park from my room." She said flatly.

But by the time they got back to Lily's house, Snape and the others were gone.

James and Sirius muttered insults about Snape while Lily sat there seemingly uninterested.

"So what did you want?" she asked.

Sirius got the knife out of his pocket, and pointed out the Latin words to Lily.

"Aurum Mortem?" She said. "Does that mean Gold Death?"

Sirius shrugged, "Something like that..Gold Death? What does that even mean."

"Money and Death?" James suggested.

"Obviously." Sirius said. "But _why _have it written on this knife?"

"Because it probably belonged to someone really evil." James said quickly.

Sirius glowered and James before starting to speak again. "Maybe it's a gang motto or something?"

Lily shrugged "If it was, we probably would have heard of it before."

James nodded in agreement. "Besides, it could be someone's very unfortunate name."

"Yep, there's always that." Lily tapped her thigh. "Catchy name though."

"Aurum Mortem?"

Lily nodded. "It rhymes."

"It does not rhyme."

"It does kind of rhyme, Prongs." Sirius joined in.

"It _really _doesn't! Aurum ends in U-M. Mortem ends in E-M!" James protested.

"Both end in 'M' though." Lily said narrowing her eyes.

"So!" James ranted. "The words Jam and Medium both end in 'M' they don't rhyme."

"They sort of do." Sirius added.

James gave Sirius daggers and fumed silently on Lily's bed.

No one said anything for a while, until James noticed the black owl in the budgie cage in the corner of Lily's room, she had forgotten it was there.

"That's not your owl." James said with a frown.

"No, it's not." Lily said slowly.

James and Sirius shared a look, "What did the letter say?"

"What?" Lily asked, confused.

"Everyone knows the black owls belong to death eaters."

"Well I didn't."

Sirius raised his eyebrows. "Was it a threat?"

Lily was lost for words, there wasn't really anything she could say, so she took a book of her shelf and opened it in the middle, and took out the letter, she kept it there so her mother wouldn't find it, and she handed it to Sirius, who read over it and handed it to James, Sirius and Lily both kept their eyes on him.

He sighed. "Palash Patil got one of these last term, his parents took him out of school and went into hiding."

"Well I'm not going to hide from it, I read it aloud to Severus and he claimed he knew nothing about it, lying pig."

James and Sirius went all awkward. "I don't think it really means..anything, they'll have sent loads of these out, you just need to keep taking precautions."

Lily nodded. "Enough of this, back to the knife."

No one started a change of subject so Lily spoke.

"I think I know someone who might be able to help, with the knife."

Sirius and James turned quickly.

"Erm." James dithered. "Do we really want to bring other people into this?"

"But he's the nicest man! He's got two kids, his wife has just had another baby, I think you know his Wife's brothers?"

"Who is he?"

"Arthur Weasley."

James nodded slowly. "I know of the Weasley family…not an Arthur though, who are his brother-in-laws?"

"Fabian and Gideon Prewett."

James and Sirius' eyes widened, Fabian and Gideon where their idols. They were in their last year at Hogwarts when we started as first years, they where the school pranksters, and when they left, James and Sirius took it upon themselves to replace them.

"I suppose we could go and see this man, why would he know anything about it though?"

"Well, he works at the ministry-"

"No way." James cut her off. "If he works at the ministry, we're not going to him."

"Let me finish." Lily said angrily. "He works in the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts office, if you show it to him he'll be able to tell you something, he's a good man. He wouldn't do anything wrong by it."

James and Sirius glanced at eachother.

"Give us a minute would you?" James said to Lily with a smile and began talking in hushed tones to Sirius.

Lily fidgeted around her room for a few minutes until Sirius spoke.

"We have decided that it would be okay to go and see this man." Sirius said formally.

"Great!" Lily said cheerily. "Now, I really don't know where he'll be, so I suppose we should floo to his house first."

"Shall we go back to mine then?" James suggested.

And they went back to James' house and floo'd to the burrow.

When they were in the Weasley's living room, there was no one in there.

"Hello!" James shouted to announce their presence.

A woman in her late twenties trotted into the room with a child in each arm whilst levitating a washing basket.

"Lily? Hello my dear, what are you doing here!" Molly Weasley welcomed Lily warmly and looked expectantly at James and Sirius.  
>She put down the older child who proceeded to crawl behind a couch, keeping hold of the new born baby in her other.<p>

"Oh, I'm James Potter!" James said holding out his hand to Molly, who took it.

"Sirius Black." Sirius held his hand out as well and Molly looked slightly weary, but took his hand anyway.  
>"Ignore my surname, I have nothing to do with my mentally deranged family, I assure you." Sirius said, noticing Molly's uneasiness.<p>

"Well what can I do for you all? Your visit is…unexpected."

"Yes." Lily agreed. "We're here for Arthur, is he home?"

"Afraid not, he's at work. Is it anything I could help you with?"

"Thank you, but no, it's to do with this muggle thing we found."

"Ah." Molly said nodding understandingly.

"Well, I suppose we'll go to the Ministry now, I'll see you soon, Molly." Lily said giving Molly a hug and cooing over the baby, called Percy.

James and Sirius bode there farewells and they left The Burrow.

"London?" Sirius asked before linking James and Lily and apparating to The Ministry.

They stood before a telephone box.

"Visitors entrance?" James asked sardonically.

Sirius shrugged. "Don't know any other ways."

James walked into the phone box and beckoned Lily and Sirius to join him

"Six two four four two." James muttered to himself whilst punching the numbers in.

"Welcome to the ministry of magic, please state your name and business" said a cool female voice.

"Er, James Potter, Sirius Black and Lily Evans and we're here to find to Arthur Weasley."

"Thank you" the cool female voice spoke again. "Please take your badges and attach them to the front of your robes."

Three badges fell out the bottom of the receiver, and James picked them up and handed them out, his own saying. _James Potter, looking for Arthur Weasley. _

After the cool voice gave them their instructions, they were in the Atrium of the ministry of magic which was busy with people going home from work. They walked up to the desk and declared themselves to the bored man sat there, they presented their wands. Lily was first.

"10¼ willow, dragon heartstring?" he said in monotone.

"Yeah." Lily said nodding nervously.

"Yer a Muggle-born..." He said raising his eyebrows.

Before Lily could speak James stepped in. "Does it matter?"

The man swallowed quickly recognising James. "Course not, Mr Potter. Just sayin', nor' many muggle-borns been comin' with you-know-who knockin' 'round."

"Right." James said passively.

"Yer dad nor' in today, no?"

James shrugged. "Don't know. You done?"

The man nodded quickly and Lily and Sirius followed James towards a lift.

"Right" James said taking his glasses off and rubbing his eyebrows "We try his department."

Lily and Sirius nodded in agreement.

When they reached the department of Magical Law Enforcement they got out, the corridor was narrow and black.

"It's straight down, I think." James said, trying to remember his past visits to the ministry, his dad used to be head of the Auror department, retiring a few years ago, however he was here every day since the rise of Voldemort.

They finally reached a door that read 'Misuse of Muggle Artefacts' and they knocked.

"Come in!"

The room was very pokey and small, there were two desks pushed up against each wall and a red haired man sat at one, he turned around to see his visitors.

"Oh, hello." He said puzzled, "Can I help you?"

"Erm, hello Mr Weasley, I'm not sure if you remember me, your wife and I are friends, my name is Lily Evans." Lily said shyly.

"Of course, Lily! What brings you here?

She glanced at Sirius and James.

"James Potter" James said proudly taking Mr Weasleys hand.

"Of course" Mr Weasley said grinning.

Lily then looked to Sirius, who stupidly got the knife out before introducing himself. He put the knife flat in his hand and held it out. "I'm Sirius Black, sir."

Poor Mr Weasley's eyes widened and stood up quickly. "I don't want any trouble!"

Sirius shook his head in realisation before putting the knife away quickly, "No no, you misunderstood! I don't want to hurt you; I just want you to take a look at the knife."

Mr Weasley frowned and looked to Lily and James for clarification.

"Our friend was attacked with this knife…we just want to know more about it." Lily said calmly.

Sirius got the knife out again and handed it to Arthur, who took it sceptically.

He examined it with his eyes, rotating it with his fingers before looking up.

"It's a cursed knife, no doubt."

Sirius nodded, "With what, can you tell?"

Mr Weasley paused for a moment, examining it one more time, then speaking.  
>"I always say, never trust anything that can think for itself, if you can't see where it keeps its brain…it seems that this particular knife, can do just that."<p>

"You mean the knife has a mind of its own?" James asked, shocked.

"In a sense yes, there are aspects of dark magic, that can turn the most innocent thing into something so wicked, so…evil…"

James flashed Sirius a glance.

"However." Arthur continued. "Some of my friends in the Auror office have discussed a certain spell that's come to their attention lately, it's similar to the Imperius curse, but it is used on objects instead, giving the object the ability to do things deemed impossible…it's a possibility that what your knife is cursed with, is the same thing."

"Wow." James said.

"If the knife has a mind of its own, how come it's not on a rampaging killing spree right now?" Lily asked.

Arthur mused. "Perhaps there has to be a certain spell to set it off."

"Like a password?" Sirius asked.

"Exactly like a password." Arthur smiled.

"Thank you for your help" James smiled at Mr Weasley. "Do you think you could…not mention this to anyone."

Arthur eyed James suspiciously. "Why not?"

James sighed, "Our friend was attacked by this knife…it may or may not have been Death Eaters, but if people find out it automatically becomes an issue for the ministry, and there are people in the ministry who won't be sympathetic with…our friend, for several reasons."

Arthur looked like he was choking on his words. "But I tell my wife everything."

"Of course you can tell your bloody wife." Sirius said impatiently. "As long as she doesn't happen to be the Minister of Magic."

He frowned defensively. "I wouldn't trust anyone in here as far as I could throw them, you have my word." Arthur said quietly.

Lily smiled warmly. "Thank you Arthur, I saw your little boy before, Percy? He's gorgeous."

While Arthur and Lily wittered on about the cuteness of baby Percy, Sirius and James where glaring at each other. A mental battle of 'I told you so' present.

It wasn't until Lily and Arthur finished their conversation and Lily had gestured to leave that they broke eye contact, they both remained silent on the journey out of the Ministry as well.

"What's up with the both of you?" Lily demanded as they left the Ministry.

They both mumbled a 'nothing'.

"Shall we go to Florean's for some icecream?" Lily suggested.

"I've not got any money with me." They both said simultaneously.

Lily chewed her lip, "I've only got muggle money."

James and Sirius shrugged. "Better than nothing."

They walked to the closest supermarket, and Lily went in alone, not allowing James and Sirius come in and draw attention to themselves, poking and prodding at whatever muggle contraption they see, Lily returned five minutes later, bag in hand.

"What did you get?" James asked.

Lily pulled out a bag of Doritos from the bag and two tubs with white stuff in it.

"What is it.." Sirius asked sceptically. "It doesn't look very nice."

"These," Lily said holding up the bag. "Are Doritos, possibly the nicest thing, ever."

Sirius studied the bag with his eyes before looking at the tubs, "What are they?"

"Sour cream dip and hummus." Lily said, as if it were obvious. "It's lovely."

"It looks a dream." James said sarcastically.

"Come on." Lily started walking. "Let's find somewhere to sit."

They ended up on a random park bench in London, James chose it because it was called St James' park and he said it was a sign that's where they should go.

"You know what." Sirius said shovelling some more Doritos into his mouth. "These aren't half bad."

James eyes widened. "Half bad? Sirius they're the nicest thing I've ever tried!" James dipped another Dorito in the tub.

Lily smirked. "And you both questioned my knowledge."

"I am very sorry, Lily." Sirius said with a mouthful of crisps.

From the corner of Lily's eye, she saw a set of swings.

"Come on." She said standing up and walking off towards the swing leaving the boys no option but to follow her.

"Merlin, Evans. Aren't you a bit old for swings?" James asked, raising his eyebrows.

"No!" She frowned. "I'm sixteen."

"Yes." He replied. "Not six."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Grow up, Potter."

He looked lost for words. "What?" He demanded. "You're the one on the swing!"

Lily grinned. "Stop being so…arsed about what people think."

"Woah, I'm not arsed about what people think!" James replied defensively.

"Then get on the swing." She inclined her head to the swing in between her and Sirius, who was swinging rather high.

"Fine." James said firmly, and sat down on the swing.

After several seconds of not moving, Lily spoke. "Are you not going to swing?"

"What?" James asked.

"You heard me." Lily replied.

Sirius was laughing from his swing before dragging his feet to stop. "Prongs doesn't 'do' swings."

Lily frowned. "What's wrong with swings?"

James coughed. "Nothing, he's taking the piss."

Lily raised her eyebrows. "Liar." She turned to Sirius. "Why doesn't he like swings?"

Sirius grinned. "Well…"

"Padfoot." James said warningly.

"He fell off a swing as a child, probably why he's so mentally deranged. Not touched a swing ever since."

Lily snorted. "You fell off a swing as a child…good God, Potter. Is that it?"

James sniffed. "I broke my arm!"

"Yes?"

"First time I had the bone repairing spell used on me! It was terribly painful."

"Wimp." Lily said mockingly.

James shrugged, "Yes, I know, the amazing James Potter has a fear. It's pathetic I know, I'm sickeningly embarrassed by it."

Lily chortled. "Everyone has a fear, Potter. Stop being so melodramatic."

James looked at her, mouth agape. "Is that it?"

"Excuse me?"

"No more mocking, just one snide comment. _One _snide comment?"

Lily smirked. "Yes?"

James stared at her. "You're changing."

Lily winked. "For the greater good."

The three of them sat there for a few more hours, recollecting memories from their first few years at Hogwarts, just miscellaneous things that Lily hadn't given a mere second thought to, but remembering how happy she felt back then, how worry free she had been.

This conversation let her see how… nice? Potter and Black actually where.

It was dark.

They hadn't even noticed how much time had actually passed, but it was dark.

"I'm in so much shit." Lily announced.

"Why?" Sirius asked, concerned.

"My mum has no clue where I am." Lily announced, she wasn't that bothered, really.

"Let's get you home then." Sirius winked.

"Let me just get my bag." Lily replied, and walked over to the bench where her belongings where, but before she could turn around, she hit the ground, suddenly.

"What's-?" She said as she tried to fumble her way back up, only to be forced back down again.

She fell silent, and could hear scuffling and brawling until she heard a "PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!" incantation and she was sure it was James' voice.

"JAMES!" She cried.

Silence.

The ground moved beneath her for a second until she realised to was being dragged, her feet where running without command, running with the person that pulled her, and she had no idea who it was.

"What-?"

"SH!" the person cut her off.

Eventually they stopped running, and the person stopped to catch their breath back.

"Who are you?" Lily asked, wearily.

"It's me you tosspot." The person said breathlessly.

"Sirius?"

She sensed a nod of a reply.

"What happened? Where's James?"

"It's a very interesting question…really." Cackled a female voice.

Lily heard a body hit the floor, and felt sick to her stomach.

The woman cast a spell that set a nearby tree on fire, creating light on the scene, stood before her was a straggly haired which, with a mad look in her eyes, James' limp body on the floor, and several masked people all stood facing them.

Sirius stood up straight. "Bellatrix." He said calmly.

"Hello, dearest cousin." She smiled smarmily.

"Probably could have guessed it was you."

She sniggered. "I believe you have something of mine."

"I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about, sorry."

Lily felt physically sick, her hands were shaking. She thought to herself it was about the letter, she thought they'd come to torture her.

Before she knew it she had a wand to her head.

"Maybe you know what I'm talking about now?" Bellatrix sneered.

Sirius looked torn, his face faltered him for a second, and that's when the most excruciating pain ever hit Lily, running through her veins and every fibre of her. She screamed in agony.

"STOP IT!" Sirius shouted, and she did. "What do you want!"

Bellatrix smiled and threw Lily's weak body to the ground "My knife."

"_Your_ knife?" Sirius said, confused.

"Yes! I WANT MY KNIFE!"Bellatrix bellowed, losing her temper.

Sirius grinned. "I have no such thing."

Lily stared across to James, he was staring right back at her, with a determined look in his eyes.

There was a wand that lay halfway between them, the same equal distance from them.

Then, Lily understood. James needed a distraction, so he could grab the wand, and hopefully get them out of there.

Lily thought of the first thing she could, and before she knew it she was shouting.

"IT'S HAPPENING…I CAN SEE IT" Lily cried like a deluded person. "IT'S COMING!"

Bellatrix glared at her in disbelief. "Quiet! Foolish girl." Bellatrix snapped, sending a silencing charm on her, the whole scene happened within a short amount of time, but it was enough, for in a few milliseconds, they were in total darkness again.

"WHO DID THAT!" Bellatrix demanded, but before Bellatrix alighted the fire again, Lily felt herself being dragged up and aparated out of the park.

They landed on a hardwood floor, it was an uncomfortable arrival.

Nobody moved, they lay there in silence, breathing heavily, Lily felt close to tears.

The room was dark and smelt damp and stagnant.

Sirius sat up and sighed and went over to James.

"I still have it."

"Have what?" James sat up.

"The…thing _she _wanted."

"You mean the knife?" James said pointedly.

Sirius nodded. "What should we do with it?"

James frowned. "I think we need to get rid of it, now."

Sirius agreed. "I'm sorry for not believing you, about it belonging to them."

James shrugged. "I know you knew it was theirs when Arthur said that stuff before, you just didn't want to admit it."

Sirius exhaled loudly. "How's Evans?"

James paused in disbelief. "I haven't spoken to her you twit, I've been talking to you!"

Sirius looked at the dark room. "Lily?"

"What." Grumbled a voice.

"Where are you?"

"I'm here, you knobs." Lily used the lumos charm to lighten the room.

Sirius and James shuffled over to where she was sat with her back against the wall.

"Are you alright?" James asked.

"Not really." She replied. "You."

"Been better."

The three of them sat in silence for a little while, looking away from each other.

Sirius ran his hands through his hair then pulled at his roots. "Fucking fucked fuck fuckity fucker FUCK." He said slapping his scalp.

"Woah woah woah!" Lily said pulling on Sirius' wrist. "What's up?"

"It's all my fucking fault, just URGH, REALLY JUST FUCK IT."

Lily looked and James bewildered. "Sirius, it's not your fault."

Sirius inhaled sharply through his teeth. "Yeah, it is."

"We've no idea how they found us, it's none of your doing." Lily said reassuringly.

Sirius sniffed. "Whatever." And he left the room.

"Where are we?" Lily asked quietly.

"His Uncle Alphard's house." James wriggled his nose. "He died a few months ago."

"Oh." Was all that Lily could say.

"They were close. The only Black he got on with, really."

"I thought he had a cousin he liked as well..." Lily trailed off.

James nodded. "Andromeda, but she's married now, so they hardly see each other."

"Ah." Lily said nodding.

They ran out of things to talk about then.

"I believe I have your wand." James said after an awkward silence, handing over her wand.

"Oh?" Lily said looking at the wand in her hand, realising it was James' "I have yours."

They swapped wands and where back to a silence.

"So did you have fun in the forest the other week, after I left?" Lily asked casually.

James shrugged. "It was okay, we left not long after you, actually."

Lily flipped her hair over her shoulder in exaggeration, "Well, I am the life and soul of the party."

James smirked. "Especially with all that participation." He commented sarcastically.

Lily shrugged and put on a very sarcastic voice "My amazingness rubs off on people and they attempt to steal my limelight, I have to sit out every now and then and give someone else a chance."

"So considerate."

"You know me."

James winked at her, and then Sirius came back in.

"This house smells awful."

Lily and James agreed.

"Do you want me to apparate you home, Lily?" Sirius asked.

"Erm, sure." Lily said, although she didn't show it, she really didn't want to be alone, but she definitely would not say that in front of Potter.

She stood up and James followed suit.

"You'll be alright, Evans.?"

"Course." Lily smiled reassuring them more than herself. "I'll owl you tomorrow or something."

James nodded. "I'll see you around then."

Lily smiled and waved her hand awkwardly.

"Come on then." Sirius said taking her arm. "Be back in a bit, James."

Within seconds they were in front of Lily's house.

Sirius looked at Lily. "I have to hand it to you, we might not have gotten out of there if it wasn't for you."

Lily shrugged. "It was nothing, not really."

"You're brave." Sirius said simply.

"You handle her really well." Lily said changing the subject.

"Bellatrix? She's been the same since we where little kids, I know how to speak to her." Sirius smirked.

"I take my hat off to you." Lily said pretending to take a hat of her head.

Sirius frowned. "I don't understand."

"Doesn't matter." Lily said shaking her head. "Muggle thing, obviously."

"Right." He smiled knowingly. "I better be off then."

Lily gave him a hug goodbye and she walked up the path to her front door, she turned back and he was still stood there.

She raised her eyebrow at him. "What?"

Sirius looked to the floor and chuckled. "Does it not make you think?"

"What…?" Lily asked, confused.

"About what you've got. It makes you think."

"What does? What're you on about?"

"Doesn't matter," Sirius said, grinning and shaking his head. He disapparated on the spot.

Lily snuck back into her house.

**0o0**

"Is she alright?" James asked as soon as Sirius returned.

Sirius smiled. "She's fine."

"I thought she'd be shaken up about it, or something."

Sirius shrugged. "I don't know, she's braver than she thinks she is."

"I suppose."

"Expect it'll all hit her tomorrow though."

James nodded. "Probably."

"Drink?" Sirius asked conjuring up two bottles of firewhisky.

James shook his head. "What're we going to do?"

Sirius let the bottle rim touch his lips. "I have no idea…let's just stay here tonight, alright? We'll think of something tomorrow."

"Alright." James agreed. "We can do that

**0o0o0**

Mr Potter was silent; the man that always had something to say was silent.

"Man alive, are you boys alright?" Mr Potter asked.

James nodded. "We're fine, just a few hexes here and there, barely scratched me."

"And the girl, Lily?"

James smiled. "I think she's okay, I'll probably check on her later on."

"Do you still have this knife?"

Sirius shook his head. "We destroyed it."

"For the best." Mr Potter nodded.

"My poor boys!" Mrs Potter rushed forward and embraced her son and Sirius.

James shrugged his mum off and faced his dad.

"I need to go and speak with some people." Mr Potter announced. "I'll be back later."

"You'll keep us posted?" James said hopefully.

"Considering it concerns you, I suppose yes." Mr Potter said finally, before leaving the house to disapparate.

James and Sirius shared one last glance before humouring Mrs Potter, she cared about them too much.

**A/N: WAT. OMG. That chapter was ridiculously long, but I do apologise for not updating for a while, I have exams on so probably won't update until mid June. **

**Review for 30 pages of hard work, OKAY? **


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